Sacrilege
by Sayuri-Uzumaki-Nara
Summary: "The devil knocked on my door and asked if we could be friends." (itachi x oc)
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE (PROLOGUE)

A SACRIFICE OF PRIDE

"You cannot simply dip your hand in darkness and expect it to come out as polished and clean as before it slipped. No, once you touch the darkness, it pulls you in. And when you come out of it, you will carry the stains of all your sins with you, forever."

. . . . . . .

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She wished she could plug her ears. But how ridiculous would it be for a shinobi to be wearing ear plugs? Not that she needed any help looking any less intimidating than she already did. But Suzumi really wanted to hear anything but the pained screams of the man writhing on the floor in front of her.

That, and her fathers constant outbursts were hindering her concentration. Or maybe she wasn't really concentrated to begin with. It was hard to tell when her nerves were threatening to consume her whole.

"Suzumi" Her father's harsh voice causes her to flinch, "Do it like I taught you."

And Suzumi is, her palms are held out over the man, and she's concentrating her chakra in all the necessary areas, but nothing is happening. And if Suzumi felt embarrassed with the entire interrogation team staring at with looks of pure boredom, then she was sure her father was livid. And he was, he made it known by hovering over her and breathing rather harshly in her vicinity.

"Sadachi-San, perhaps you could take a step back? It appears you are making her nervous." One of the interrogation nin speak up, only to shrink back at the glare her father gives them.

"You think I care whether she is nervous or not? You think an enemy will care if she's nervous or not?" Her father retorts, frustration evident in his voice. It was no secret in Konoha that Sadao Sadachi had a bad temperament, and that even his own clansmen were afraid of him because of it. Still, he was their leader and they put up with him as best as they could.

Being his daughter, Suzumi received the worst of his impatience and cruel nature. He scared her to extent, and that in itself frightened her even more, because how could she be afraid of her own father? But it wasn't like Sadao was making it any easier not to fear him.

"I will not stand this embarrassment any longer." Sadao states firmly, shoving Suzumi aside to move in front of the writhing criminal, "You have done enough, Suzumi."

Suzumi stumbles off to the side, keeping her gaze locked on the floor. She felt embarrassed. The investigation team was giving her looks of pity and sympathy that made her feel even worse. She did not want them to pity her. She had wanted them to be impressed by her. But it seemed she couldn't even do the basics of her own clans jutsu.

Suzumi felt like a failure.

And she hated the feeling and every pitying gaze it brought her. But wouldn't mope about it. She was a Sadachi, and they were taught that when they were knocked down, they were expected to get back up ten times stronger. She had embarrassed herself and failed her father all in one. And so, there would no mercy for her in their next training session, or for many to come.

Suzumi proved that she was capable of failure and embarrassment. So Sadao would would train her so that such possibilities would never become options. That was the Sadachi way of life. And while it seemed favorable in theory, every way of living had it's flaws.

The Sadachi favored fate. They thought everything in life was necessary, including pain. If someone suffered, then surely something good would come of it. But they did not believe in unnecessary suffering either. If blood was not meant to be shed, then they would avoid it at all cost.

Suzumi thought the entire system was flawed. She didn't see the point of suffering at all. But when she had brought her opinion up to her father, she had received one of the most chilling glares in response.

"You think you know anything about suffering? What do you know about death and it's companion? You know nothing, Suzumi. Unless you have had to cut your own legs to survive or you have had to put a blade through the heart of your beloved to live, then you know nothing. So how can you speak on something you know nothing of? The answer if that you cannot. So be quiet, and wait for your suffering to come. Because when it does, you will surely regret questioning it to begin with." He had told her, eyes boring into her five year old face with the weariness of a man who'd lived to see too much. And then he had sent her away, and hadn't spoken to her again for the rest of that day.

Suzmi never questioned fate and suffering again. But Sadao was not pleased.

He made it his personal mission to ingrain his beliefs into her. And because she was a Sadachi, she was expected to adhere to them. The Sadachi were a special clan after all. Pain and suffering were essential to them for this very reason.

The Sadachi possessed certain abilities that made them both feared in Konoha and the other nations as well. They were deemed unnatural to some, and unearthly to many. Which is why their clan lived in the land bordering the outside of Konoha, only sealed off and only accessible by clan members. And in dire situations, the Hokage and certain Anbu.

In such a closed off area, they could practice their craft away from prying and judgmental eyes.

Suzumi finally pulls her gaze from the floor when the criminal lets out a final strangled grunt. Now, he was finally dead. She watches as her father then forms a series of hand signs before chakra begins to pool from his open palms to the deceased man before him in a steady stream. From Sadao's chakra forms a silhouette of a man, in a haze of dusky purple and null synergy.

It was his spirit. And it stood there, awaiting Sadao's very command.

"What do you wish to know?" Sadao asks one of the interrogation nin. They stand there, awed for the briefest of seconds before they snap back to attention. One of them goes to talk personally with Sadao about what they wish to learn from the criminal.

And Suzumi watches it all, feeling the faintest hint of bitterness swell within her. She should have been the one to summon the spirit. But she failed. And it hurt.

"Don't worry so much, Suzumi-Chan. You are still young. You have plenty of time to master your clans abilities. They are very special, so don't feel down about a failure or two." One of the interrogation nin places a comforting hand on her shoulder and gives her an assuring smile.

Suzumi returns it with a forced smile of her own. All the the while she couldn't help but think that he was wrong.

The Sadachi's functioned differently from the average clan. From a very young age, you were expected to begin mastering your craft. And once your time started, it didn't stop for anything. Because there was a deadline, a certain age by which you should have successfully mastered spirit manipulation. And if you didn't, you were no longer considered a Sadachi. You were kicked out of the compound, considered incompetent, a defect.

Suzumi's time had started a year ago, and while she still had plenty of time left, she was still afraid.

After all, time stopped for no one.

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Hello, this is my first Itachi x OC fanfiction. I am going to try to make it as realistic as possible? Meaning, the romance will develop v slowly and most likely be v subtle. I am going to do my best to follow cannon. But if something is done in the wrong order, please let me know. I also don't want to make my character op or anything, so please let me know if you get that vibe from her. Other than that, reviews are always appreciated! : )

\+ This story is also on wattpad under the user: SH1NOBIS


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

JUDGEMENT OF THE BLIND

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"Neechan, I'm hungry."

Suzumi glances down at Sayuri's pouting face and can't help the smile that appears on her own. The five year old is clutching her stomach rather dramatically as if it will gain her quicker access to food. The Sadachi believed that eating was a privilege, and that in order to not become greedy and displease the spirits, they should only eat two meals a day. Anything in between or more, was considered shameful and gluttonous.

"How much longer before dinner?" Sayuri asks for the fifth time that day.

"The sun is still very much high in the sky, Yuri-Chan. So I'd say another seven hours." Suzumi tells her sister, watching as the younger falls on her back.

"I'm starving." The little girl groans, though Suzumi thought it had something to do with her boredom more than the lack of food.

"Sit up, Sayuri-Chan." Suzumi tells her sister sternly when she hears footsteps approaching. Sayuri does so quickly before remembering their current predicament.

"Neechan?" She inquired timidly, eyes going wide as she asks, "We're not going to summon those scary ghosts again, are we?"

"Yes Sayuri-Chan, we are." Suzumi informs her sister with a small sigh.

Sayuri was afraid of the spirits, which was not uncommon for a child her age. But Sadachi children were expected to overcome their fear with age. And Sayuri's progress was severely lacking. Sadachi's are introduced to the spirits at the ripe age of four. A lot of them scream and many cry. Suzumi remembered how she had screamed so loud she'd lost her voice for an entire week. But the more their parents summoned the spirits, the more the child was so see that they weren't something to be feared, but more so to be admired.

Unfortunately, in Sayuri's case, the more Sadao summoned the spirits, the more she grew to fear them.

"Oh please no, Neechan, I don't want to see them again! Please-" Sayuri begs, and it makes Suzumi's heart ache. But she needed to teach her little sister strength, and in doing so, she couldn't hold her hand anymore.

"You are a Sadachi. Stop crying." Suzumi tells the younger when a fat stream of tears begin to well in her eyes. It was the same thing her father would tell her whenever she would cry. It did nothing to ease the pain, but she knew Sayuri needed to hear it.

It was true that the Sadachi were meant to be void of emotion completely. They claimed the spirits were their emotions, and they were meant to be empty vessels for this very reason. But once again, Suzumi found flaws in this reasoning a well. How could the Sadachi claim a lack of emotions when her father was almost always angry, Sayuri was almost always crying, and Suzumi felt as much as the average human being? But she didn't dare question it, as she was sure her father would be quick to remind her of the consequences of questioning the Sadachi way of life again.

"Sayuri, Suzumi, on your feet." Sadao commands as soon as he approaches. They're in a small gated area in their community. In the very middle of it is a lake. But it is not an ordinary lake, it is fused with chakra, painting it a dull, angry shade of purple. It was said to enhance their own chakra and make spirit manipulation easier for them. This is where Sadachi parents came to train their children, to introduce them to the spirit world, and to help them master it.

Suzumi found it necessary to come here, Sayuri hated it, while Sadao loved it.

"You will both summon one spirit for me today. Be warned, these are the bodies of common criminals, a thief and a murder. Which is which, I cannot tell you. The spirits will do all of the talking for me." Sadao instructs, snapping his fingers before two Sadachi clan members appear with the deceased bodies of two men. They place the dead bodies just in front of the lake. And Suzumi pulls a rather unwilling Sayuri closer to them.

"When you two are ready." Sadao says before he steps aside completely to stand beside the two clansmen.

Suzumi decides to go first. Because she is the oldest, and because she knows Sayuri is afraid. She figured that if she managed to summon a spirit without much hassle, then her sister begin to feel confident in her own abilities. And that if she showed no fear in the face of the spirit, then her sister would feel no fear when facing her own.

So it is with this in mind that Suzumi approaches the two bodies. One is pristine for a dead person, besides a knife to the stomach, and a trickling trail of blood. She assumes this is the thief. The other body is covered in blood, the clothing of it's owner is torn to shreds. Suzumi believes this is the murderer and decides this is who she will choose.

Spirit manipulation was easy on civilians who didn't have chakra. Their spirits were easier to tame and more predictable than that of a shinobi. But there was also the factor of how the owner of the body died. If they died a horrible death, then surely their spirit would come back in the most horrible of manners as well.

Suzumi forms the familiar hand signs before holding her palms flat out. Unlike at the interrogation department, her chakra does it's job quickly. And she watches as a silhouette of the dead man forms besides it's deceased body. Unlike the actual body, the chakra formed version is less mangled. But Suzumi barely has time to take in it's new form before the spirit is charging at her.

Luckily, Suzumi's reflexes are quick and she does the hand sign to render the spirit under a sense of calm. It stops just in front of her, face blank before it blinks slowly.

"Why would a Sadachi summon a common thief like me?" The spirit questions, seemingly recognizing them by their features. He stares at Suzumi, awaiting her command. But she's too busy taking in his words.

So, he was the thief? Suzumi felt stupid. She had naively assumed that because of the mangled state of his deceased body that he was the murderer. And now, because of her mistake, Sayuri had to summon said murder.

The smirk her father is wearing tells her that he knew she would make such a mistake. And it makes Suzumi angry. The spirit immediately senses her anger directed towards her father and charges at Sadao.

"You are released." Sadao says simply, doing a quick hand sign and watching the spirit dissolve into nothingness with a satisfied smile.

Suzumi is too busy raging with anger to care that her spirit has been destroyed. Her father could be cruel at times, but it did not surprise her anymore. He had always been a cruel man.

"Remember Yuri-Chan, you are in charge of the spirit. It can only harm you if you let it." Suzumi tries to comfort her sister quickly. Sayuri nods shakily and that's how she knows she's failed.

Still, she has to step aside and wait for what happens next. Sayuri forms the hand signs slowly, as if trying to remember them, before she holds her palms out rather shakily. Suzumi holds her breath as she watches her sister's chakra form a steady stream. And then, beside the body of the stabbed man, forms an essence of dark purple. From the essence appears a spirit, mimicking that of the deceased murderer. And once it has fully formed, it doesn't waste any time in rushing at Sayuri.

The five year old lets out a surprised shout that makes Suzumi's heart hurt. Sayuri was clearly not ready. She was still afraid of the spirits. But she is forced to watch as the spirit grabs her sister and begins to drag her into the lake.

"You call yourself a Sadachi and yet you squeal at my mere presence?!" The spirit shouts, smirking maniacally as he pushes Sayuri down into the lake, "You will bathe in the spirits of your ancestors or die as they did!"

Bubbles form in the lake from where Sayuri is struggling for air. Her legs are kicking and her arms are flailing wildly, and that's when Suzumi decides she's had enough.

"Release him!" She turns to her father with pleading eyes, "I will receive her punishment for her. I beg of you, please release him, Otousan!"

"Very well." Sadao says, seemingly more focused on the fact that Suzumi would willingly receive her sister's punishment for failing than his daughter's struggle to live in front of him.

Suzumi watches as he approaches the lake at a snail's pace.

"You are released." He tells the spirit, forming a familiar hand sign that causes it to disappear with the wind.

With the spirit gone, Sayuri's body falls lifelessly into the lake for a final time. Suzumi hurries over, pulling the younger out of the water. Her little sister is coughing and shaking uncontrollably as she clings to her. And Suzumi wonders if it is inhumane to ignore the horrendous ordeal the younger has just gone through or if it is the Sadachi way. Either way, she hated it. And it made her despise her clansmen as they stood off to the side with blank expressions.

"If you fail the spirits then you must repay them. Suzumi, there will be no meals for you for the next three days. The spirits will eat in your place. And then later, you will thank them for all of the nourishment they have ever given you as it is the least you can do." Sadao speaks up, not even glancing at Sayuri as he gives Suzumi a long, hard withering look before leaving. The two clansmen trail behind him.

"I hate him, Neechan." Sayuri cries as soon as their father is gone, "I hate him so much."

"Shh, the spirits can hear you." Suzumi shushes her sister as she rubs the younger's back comfortingly, "And they will be displeased."

But despite her words, oddly enough, Suzumi found that she didn't care.

The spirits were displeased with her again. And for the first time in her life, Suzumi was displeased with them as well.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

ENCOUNTERS 

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Sadao sends Suzumi into town the next day to run errands. But she knows it's to add more effect to her punishment. With every food stand she passed, her stomach growled uncontrollably, and it reminded her that she had several hours before she'd even be able to touch food again. And it made her feel irritable. If didn't help that she decided to bring Sayuri along.

They weren't allowed to leave the compound often, so she decided to let the younger tag along to enjoy a day in town.

But she was starting to regret it because her sister kept running off. Not only was it uncharacteristic of a Sadachi to act in such a manner, it waas simply annoying.

Suzumi ignores the angry jolt her stomach does when she glances at a ramen stand while searching for her sister. Her hunger and the scorching sun beating down on her made her feel weak and fatigued. She wanted to find her sister as quickly as possible and leave. She'd finish the errands another time.

'Where could Yuri-Chan be?' She wonders, looking around the bustling town before her weakened state gets to her and she sways slightly, 'At this rate, I will pass out before I find her...'

Something harsh collides with her body and Suzumi scrambles to stay upright. When she looks down, a little raven haired boy is staring into the distance with panicked eyes and fat tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Are you okay?" Suzumi asks, kneeling down almost immediately to check for any wounds.

"N-no!" The boy claims loudly then, shaking his head before sniffling, "I can't find my brother."

Suzumi frowns at this. Despite his sad state, she found the small boy to be very cute and precious. He appeared to be around Sayuri's age.

"It appears we are in the same predicament, as I cannot find my little sister either." Suzumi informs him, watching as the little boy stares at her, "Who is your bother?"

"Itachi" The boy answers after a small pause and a sniffle. He wipes at his eyes with his small hands before something catches his attention in the distance and he glares, "Nii-San, why did you leave me like that?!"

"I didn't leave you, Sasuke. I told you to stay put and then you wandered off." A calm voice says, accompanied by foot steps.

"Oh" The little boy, Sasuke, ducks his head, seemingly embarrassed if the blush dusting his cheeks were any indication. The interaction makes Suzumi smile until she turns around only to come face to face with Itachi Uchiha.

It was hard not to have heard about the Uchiha prodigy. The Sadachi feared the Uchiha. They were a powerful clan, and a mysterious one at that. It was because of this that the Sadachi believed the Uchiha lacked a relationship with the spirits. And thus, anyone not acknowledged by the spirits, were deemed unworthy of a Sadachi's time.

"I believe I have something of yours." Itachi says, before Suzumi notices a very guilty looking Sayuri clinging to his leg.

"Why did you run off like that?" Suzumi scolds her sister, pulling her from the older boy's leg and setting her with a glare.

"Sorry Neechan, I just wanted to try the dango! They looked so good. But when I went over, I didn't have any money." Sayuri blabbers before a wide smile appears on her face and she pulls out a stick of dango, "But that's okay, because Itachi-San bought one for me!"

"Oh, thank you." Suzumi tells Itachi despite the frown on her face. It was unusual for an Uchiha to go out of their way for a Sadachi, or anyone at that. She digs through the pouch on her side for the money to pay him back.

"I do not need your money, Sadachi-San." Itachi tells her as he walks past her, "Let's go, Sasuke."

"B-Bye!" The dark haired boy says quickly, giving them a measly wave before running off after his brother.

Suzumi watches the two go, frowning at just how strange the entire encounter was. It was the second time in her life encountering Uchihas. And they weren't as cold as many depicted them, it seemed. Or maybe she just didn't know them well enough. And she figured she never would. After all, the spirits were a Sadachi's only friend.

"Neechan-" Sayuri's voice snaps her back to reality and Suzumi looks down at her sister then. But her vision is cloudy and the movement seems to happen in slow motion.

"Let's go, Yuri-Chan." Suzumi says despite her foggy state. She takes a step forward and feels her world jolt.

"Neechan?" Sayuri calls out worriedly but Suzumi is too busy trying to ward off the black spots in her vision.

The pain in her stomach is a distant ache as she falls to her knees, trying to maintain her grip on her reality. But it appears to be a losing battle because she blinks once, then twice before everything goes black.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR  
IN THE DEVIL'S NEST

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"She's so thin. How can she possibly withstand a battle with such a frame?"

"She's a Sadachi. They think their spirit friends are gonna make food magically appear in their stomachs or something. And I bet they probably call it spiritual feeding or something equally weird."

"Shisui... that wasn't funny."

"... Sorry, it sounded better in my head."

"Hm"

Suzumi blinks slowly, staring up at a blank ceiling. Almost immediately, a sharp pain resonates in her stomach, causing her to curl up in ball, face scrunched in pain.

"She's awake." An unfamiliar voice says, "And she looks like she's in a shit load of pain."

Suzumi's stomach felt as if it was trying to tear itself out. And she felt so pathetic as she whimpered, gripping the sheets falling from the tatami mat tightly as if it might ease her pain.

"Sadachi-San" A calm voice greets her before the blank face of Itachi Uchiha appears before her, "Your pain is internal. But it doesn't appear that you have been poisoned."

"I-" Suzumi hesitates, feeling too embarrassed to say that she just hadn't eaten for almost twenty four hours. Instead, she bears through her pain and inquires, "Where is my sister?"

Loud, shrill laughter from outside the room catches her attention then, followed by rushed footsteps.

The other Uchiha in the room that she hadn't noticed before cracks a grin at this. He pulls the room door open.

"No running inside!" He calls out to whomever is on the other side.

"Sorry Shisui." Suzumi can hear Sasuke's dejected voice, and it appears to effect the short haired Uchiha, Shisui, because his face softens.

"Yeah, yeah, you and the little Sadachi should go outside and play." Shisui tells them, flashing them an assuring smile that he wasn't angry with them.

"Okay!" She hears Sayuri's voice next and it allows her to feel relieved momentarily.

That is until she remembers she's very much vulnerable in Uchiha territory. Suzumi sits up quickly then, scrunching her face in pain when her stomach protests. This seems to startle Itachi, though his face doesn't show it, he simply leans back from her quickly.

"Woah, woah, calm down, Sadachi. We still don't know what's wrong with you." Shisui tells her, trying to ease her back into lying down again.

"I am fine. I must return to the compound or my father will be worried." Suzumi explains quickly, standing from the bed. She bows to the two Uchiha then, "Thank you for your hospitality. I am not sure how I can repay you both. I am in your debt as of now."

"Why are all Sadachi so formal?" Shisui complains randomly, but Itachi ignores him to watch the Sadachi girl leave. Suzumi only makes it three steps before she doubles over in pain. Shisui helps her straighten then, giving her a look of concern, "Okay, you're not going anywhere like this, Sadachi. So just let us help you, okay? We promise not to anger any of your spirit friends in the process."

"Shisui" Itachi says with a hint of warning while Suzumi glares at the short haired Uchiha.

"Sorry for acknowledging the elephant in the room." Shisui says with a shrug before wiggling his brows, "Or should I say spirit in the room?"

"Neither" Suzumi tells him before she promptly elbows him in the stomach. Shisui grunts in surprise, not expecting the attack.

"Please let me wring her neck." Shisui tells Itachi who comes to stand in between the bickering pair. He sets Suzumi with a glare then, "I've been itching for a good fight."

Suzumi returns the Uchiha's glare full force. She refused to be intimidated by him.

"Sadachi-San, it is in your best interest to remain here until we can determine the source of your discomfort." Itachi says, ignoring his best friend's words.

"Or she can leave and take her evil spirit collection with her." Shisui comments sarcastically making Suzumi grit her teeth.

But before she can reply, embarrassingly enough, her stomach growls rather loudly.

"Hungry Sadachi?" Shisui teases, a smirk on his lips as he adds, "Spirits not feeding you enough?"

Suzumi is prepared to attack Shisui once more and Itachi seems to sense this, sweeping in casually and guiding her away by the arm.

"This way Sadachi-San." He says calmly, leading her from the room, Shisui's laughter echoing behind them.

Suzumi had never felt so embarrassed. She simply wished to leave from the Uchiha's presence altogether. But at the moment, that seemed impossible. So she allows Itachi to lead her to a room that she realizes is the dining room. The table is already filled with food, and when Suzumi spots a bowl filled to the brim of white rice, her stomach growls once more.

"Suzumi-Chan, you're awake." A soft, feminine voice says. Suzumi looks to the kitchen doorway to find a raven haired woman approaching with a small smile. Mikoto Uchiha, Suzumi had seen the woman a few times around town with her father. Of all the Uchiha, her father seemed to be able to at least tolerate Mikoto. And she figured it had something to do with her mother and Mikoto being the closest thing to friends between an Uchiha and a Sadachi.

Suzumi could remember the Uchiha woman from bits of her childhood, but she still kept her distance at her father's warning.

"Ah, yes Uchiha-San." Suzmi replies, ducking her head slightly. Though the woman was friendly, she still felt intimidated by the older woman.

"Mikoto, call me Mikoto dear." The Uchiha woman tells her, pulling out a chair for the Sadachi girl with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Uchi-...Mikoto-San." Suzumi says, forcing a smile of her own as she slips into her seat.

"Dinner's ready brats!" She hears Shisui call distantly before the sound of footsteps comes closer.

"Neechan, you're awake!" Sayuri comes bounding up to her, face flushed from the sun and playing with the youngest Uchiha, "You just fainted and you wouldn't wake up. I was scared so I called after Itachi-San, and he actually came back to help!"

At this, Suzumi frowns but quickly fixes her face into a neutral expression when Itachi offers her a bowl of rice. It just didn't make sense. What could an Uchiha gain from helping a Sadachi? Unconsciously, she instantly felt on guard. Her best bet was to eat quickly and leave. But how could she relay her message to Sayuri without them picking up on it?

After all, she thinks as she looks at her sister who's smiling rather happily while sitting beside Sasuke, Sayuri seemed to be enjoying herself. They rarely interacted with anyone outside of their clan. Maybe she was just being paranoid?

"Aren't you going to eat?" Shisui's voice breaks her from her thoughts. And she looks up to see him sitting across from her with a grin, "Your stomach sounded like one of the Inuzuka's dogs back there."

Before Suzumi can reply, it's Sayuri who speaks up.

"Suzumi isn't allowed to eat or the spirits will get angry again!" She says, and Suzumi really wishes her sister wasn't so young and thoughtless.

"I actually know what she's talking about. One of my teammates was a Sadachi. They have this thing where if they displease their spirits, they must fast in order to again their favor again." Shisui says, leaning back in his chair before adding, "Pretty foolish if you ask me."

"Shisui" Itachi warns, though his eyes remain locked on his food.

"Sorry, I just think it's foolish." The short haired Uchiha says with a shrug, "How are you going to be a ninja with no physical strength? One punch to the Sadachi guy and he was rendered pretty much useless."

Suzumi tries to reign her anger in, but hearing someone so blatantly disrespect her clan gets the better of her.

"You think you're better than us, Uchiha?" She sneers, leveling him with a glare.

"No" Shishui tells her simply before smirking, "I know we are."

"How about a spar!" Sasuke suggests with an excited smile, while Sayuri nods beside him, "That would be cool. Right, Nii-San?"

"Suzumi is injured, Sasuke." Itachi replies, making Suzumi frown.

"Oh" Sasuke mumbles, staring at Suzumi and trying to figure out where exactly.

"That's right. Suzumi is injured. So it will be in everyone's best interest if we allow her to heal by eating the rest of our meal in silence." Mikoto says, taking control of the situation. Shisui doesn't disobey her, turning his attention to his food then.

Mikoto winks at Suzumi, who returns the gesture with a genuine, thankful smile of her own.

Maybe the Uchiha weren't so bad after all.

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Later that evening, they decide to return to the Sadachi compound. Itachi is carrying Sasuke on his back, while Shisui was kind enough to carry Sayuri on his.

"Nii-San, why do they live so far out?" Sasuke asks, glancing around at the woods surrounding them.

"So the spirits can-" Shisui starts to say but Itachi quickly cuts him off.

"Because the Sadachi are a special clan, Sasuke. They need room to practice their techniques." Is his vague reply that seems to satisfy Sasuke.

"Oh"

Suzumi smiles at the youngest Uchiha. She couldn't dislike him after all, he was but a child. Shisui on the other hand, made her blood boil. And she makes it known by glaring at him when he glances her. He simply smirks in return and it makes her curl her lip in disgust before returning her attention to the path ahead of them.

She could see the gates of the Sadachi compound and she opens her mouth to tell them they've arrived. But surprisingly, Itachi stops first, as if he could see the gates as well. And it makes her frown because only Sadachi could see their compound, it was a type of genjutsu special to their clan. So Itachi couldn't see the compound, right?

Shisui lets Sayuri down from his back and she comes to cling to her older sister's leg. The entire ordeal made Suzumi feel uneasy. Perhaps she had underestimated the power of the Uchiha.

"Ah, thank you, for everything." She says then, with an awkward smile before she bows quickly, "The Sadachi are in your debt."

"Just eat, Sadachi." Shisui tells her with a smirk, "That way you'll have plenty of strength and energy for our spar."

"Ignore him." Itachi tells Suzumi, making Shisui's smirk fall, "Take care, Sadachi-San."

And with that, he walks off. Suzumi felt slightly put off by his curt dismissal but decided not to put too much thought into it.

"Bye Sasuke!" Sayuri chirps happily, waving at her new friend. Sasuke, who's caught up with Itachi by now, turns around and gives her a wave with a small smile of his own.

"This isn't over, Sadachi." Shisui says before turning to leave as well.

Suzumi watches the three of them go, wondering what to make of the day. But, she thinks as she makes the hand signs to enter the compound, she knew one thing.

Her father wasn't going to be happy with her encounter, at all.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Shisui is a bit ooc, but it just makes the interactions easier to write XD


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE  
RUN DEVIL, RUN

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"Okay class, please pay attention." Jinta sensei exclaims the following morning.

Suzumi sits up in her seat, removing her head from her palm. The Sadachi girl resided in the very back of their classroom and only participated in lessons when necessary. She hated unnecessary attention, and being upfront made her nervous. Unfortunately, her class was a rowdy bunch, and it took their teacher several minutes to quiet them down.

"Today is the day you all have been waiting for." Their sensei says, dimples visible as he grins at them. Their sensei was a rather tall, slender Hyuga. His long brunet hair was usually pulled into a lose ponytail, swaying with his every moment. Though the students had been wary of him at first, claiming his eyes unnerved them, the Hyuga had managed to worm his way into their hearts one dimpled smile at a time. He was the youngest teacher at the academy at the moment, and now, also the most favored.

"You all will finally be divided into teams." Jinta informs them, and almost immediately the class erupts with conversation. Suzumi feels overwhelmed by the noise, people chatting rather loudly about who they don't want on their teams and who they hope to be grouped with. So the Sadachi girl smiles when their sensei glares at them, almost instantly silencing the noisy class.

"As I was saying, today is the day you all will be divided into teams of four, including your new sensei. I will leave a paper on your desk telling you where to go to meet your new sensei. After lunch, it will be there. So don't forget to come get the paper so you'll know where to go. And please, do not be late. It will leave a bad impression on your new sensei, and your teammates as well." Jinta sensei tells them before heading to his desk to get started on the paper slips.

The class resumes it's noisiness then. And Suzumi sighs as she turns her attention to the open window, and hopes her team will be bearable one.

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Suzumi is lying on the rooftop of the academy when she feels a chakra signature that makes her jump to her feet. She barely has time to react when he kick sends her flying across the rooftop. She rolls pathetically, and her enemy doesn't waste any time in descending upon her with a kunai. Once she's come to a stop, back hitting the rough rooftop for a final time, they appear before her in a flicker. And in one swift moment, they plunge the weapon deep in the flesh of her chest. The Suzumi clone disappears in a puff of smoke while the real Suzumi steps forward from behind them.

"Not bad." Her attacker notes with a muffled voice. Their anbu mask makes her uncomfortable as it stares down her down. Despite their concealed physical identity, their voice gave them away very clearly.

"What were you expecting?" Suzumi retorts, watching as Shisui shrugs.

"For you to be quicker than that." He tells her, successfully flaring her temper. Suzumi balls her fist, and even behind his anbu mask, she can tell he's wearing his signature smirk.

"I don't have time for this." Suzumi grumbles, though it would be another half hour before the lunch period was over.

"Don't worry, Little Sadachi. We will finish this later. And don't forget to eat, you will need that strength for later." Is all he says before disappearing in a flicker. And Suzumi is left to glare at the spot he had once been standing.

'Annoying Uchiha' She thought despite scoping the area below to see which classmate she could steal a bowl of rice from.

After all, she would need all the strength she could get if she wanted to face Shisui properly the next time.

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Suzumi wipes stray rice from her mouth as she makes her way back into the classroom. She'd manage to snag some from an Inuzuka who'd been too busy chasing his companion around to notice. It's empty inside, even Jinta sensei is no where to be found. She picks up the paper on her desk and smiles at her sensei's neat handwriting. Apparently, her new sensei and teammates were waiting for her at the playground.

The dark haired kunoichi tucks the paper in her pocket and makes her way to the playground from the side door. It's empty outside now that lunch is over, or so she thinks. The creaking of the old swings catches her attention, and when she looks over, Suzumi freezes. She knew this day would come, meeting her teammates. But now that it was actually happening, she felt nervous.

What if they didn't get along? What if they didn't like her? Or even worse, what if her sensei disliked her?

"Hey, are you going to stand there and think all day, Sadachi?" An amused voice calls, and the dark haired girl finally focuses on the two figures on the swings. The one who called out to her was an Uchiha, he resembled that of Sasuke with choppy black hair, albeit longer, and dark eyes. He was grinning, and when he turned to glance at a passing by group of birds, the Uchiha symbol was visible on the back of his black jacket.

Beside him is a Yamanaka boy. His blond hair is pulled into a bun in the back, with long bangs hanging in his face. His green eyes appear kind, and a soft smile is on his lips as he stares at her. He's tugging nervously at the bottom of his purple shirt as he swings back and forth.

"Daisuke Uchiha at your service!" The Uchiha boy exclaims then, jumping from the swings and landing with the grace only a shinobi could possess.

"Isamu Yamanaka" The blond boy introduces with a small smile.

"Sadachi Suzumi" Suzumi says finally, watching as the Uchiha boy stretches with a small grin.

"Man, an Uchiha, a Yamanaka, and a Sadachi, we're going to be unstoppable!" Daisuke claims, and it makes Isamu and even Suzumi smile as well.

"I don't think so." A calm voice says, and the three teammates look around in confusion before the voice sighs and adds, "Up here."

The three look up to find an unfamiliar figure sitting atop the academy's roof. It's a rather tall man, his dark hair is pulled into a spiky ponytail. A lone gold earring hangs from his ear, and he was currently toying with it in distant annoyance. A scar ran from his jaw to the middle of his left cheek, and his dark eyes regarded them boredom.

"Since you are all acquainted, I am Shichiro Nara, and I'll be your new sensei for... well for forever really." The man introduces, rubbing at at the back of his neck with an awkward laugh, "This was more awkward then I planned. Anyway, your first task is to get to the Hokage's monument in one piece."

"That should be a piece of cake." Daisuke claims, seemingly excited to have a task already.

Isamu jumps from the swings then, appearing beside his two teammates. And the three set off then. But they only take a few steps before something comes flying to the ground in front of them.

"Watch out!" Daisuke exclaims and the three shinobi jump in different directions as an explosion takes place.

A paper bomb, Suzumi notes as the smoke clears. Daisuke and Isamu are no where to be seen.

'Just how far away did they leap?' She wonders, glancing around the now barren playground.

"I hate to inform you all, but this is not a team assignment. This is a test of your own abilities. Everything I assign you will be a task. Your first task is to get to the Hokage's monument in one piece, by your own means. This is my personal test to gauge your skills as an individual. And the time starts now, the last one to the monument will surely be sorry." Shichiro's voice greets her ears, though like her teammates, he's no where to be seen as well.

Suzumi decides not waste anymore time, and jumps onto the nearest building and then to next, heading in the direction of the hokage's monument.

'The Uchiha is the quickest one it seems.' Shichiro thinks as he watches Daisuke who's currently in the lead, Isamu is not too far behind, and then Suzumi, 'An Uchiha, a Yamanaka, and a Sadachi, I definitely have a lot of work on my hands. But I have high hopes for this team. My only hope is that they won't disappoint me. Though I don't think that will be the case.'

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Suzumi could sense her teammates ahead of her and it was making her nervous. She didn't want to be the last one. It wouldn't make a good impression on her sensei, which was what she wanted the most at the moment. Just as she's thinking of a plan to help her get ahead, a series of kunai whiz towards her.

The Kunoichi manages to pull a kunai from her pouch last minute and counter them for the most part. But unfortunately, she has to slide to a stop to do so in order to not run into the wall before her. She's expecting it to be her sensei, but instead the figure that lands opposite of her is donning the same anbu mask from before.

"Now's not the time." Suzumi grumbles, because there's no telling how far ahead her teammates are now.

"Then you better learn to keep up, little Sadachi." Shisui teases before disappearing in a flicker. Suzumi prepares to resume her previous pace only to realize with slowly looming dread that she couldn't move.

'Dammit' She curses inwardly, watching the shadows creep towards her before a familiar voice speaks up.

"I was expecting to get the Uchiha first since he's so cocky or maybe the Yamanaka because he's so timid, but I'll settle for you, kunoichi." Shichiro tells her with a lazy smile. Suzumi smiles as well since she has no choice. All the while she's thinking of a way out of her current position. Or at least she's scrambling too.

What was a way to break a shadow technique? Suzumi racks her mind for something, anything to aid her when the unexpected happens. A paper bomb appears in the distance between she and her sensei. Shichiro stares at it quizzically as he hadn't been the one to throw it. In his haste, he releases the shadow technique. Suzumi was standing much too close to edge, and had she jumped back under the technique, she would have been sent flying right over the it.

Once free from the spell, the kunoichi immediately jumps from the blast once she realizes she could move of her own free will again. And she doesn't look back as she leaps onto the next building and continues the race to the monument.

Shichiro stares after her in pure confusion, coughing as the smoke clears from the blast.

'What are you up to little kunoichi?' He wonders, before something catches his eye and he looks over to find not one but two anbu staring at him, 'And why the hell do you have two anbu protecting you?'

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Suzumi smiles as she takes in the sight of the Hokage's monument. That is before she spots Daisuke just ahead of her. She'd passed Isamu moments ago who'd been fending off a Shichiro clone. The Sadachi girl decides to act. She forms a series of hand signs then.

'Spirit Chain jutsu!' The dark haired kunoichi holds out her hand, watching the black coils appear from her palm in a steady chain. They wrap around Daisuke's ankle, and Suzumi doesn't waste any time in yanking back.

In the midst of trying to jump to the next building, the Uchiha boy goes down. And he appears genuinely caught off guard as flails before his back hits the top of a building rather roughly. The spirit chain extends back into Suzumi's palm then, and the kunoichi smiles in satisfaction because she believes she's won.

The Sadachi girl lands on the Hokages monument feeling victorious. But of course said victory is short lived.

"You didn't have to take my clone down like that." An annoyingly conceited voice says before she looks over to find Daisuke already standing there with his hands shoved in his pockets, "That wasn't very nice, Suzumi-Chan."

Suzumi rolls her eyes, but doesn't reply as they wait for their third teammate. Moments later, a very tired looking Isamu appears. And he doesn't seem to care that he's the last one either. He simply flops down in the dirt in his exhaustion.

"So it's been decided. I've won!" Daisuke exclaims, pumping his fist in the air with a grin while Suzumi rolls her eyes and Isamu smiles despite his failure.

"Not quite." A voice says before a kunai comes whirling by. It lunges into the Uchiha boy's leg, and Suzumi can only blink as she watches Daisuke disappear in a poof of smoke, "Clones don't count."

The real Daisuke appears seconds later, breathing heavily as he rushes towards them.

"No fair Sensei! You told us whoever got here first was the winner. You didn't say anything about what form we got here in." The Uchiha argues before a very annoyed looking Shichiro arrives in a flicker. The sensei sighs heavily before reaching over to poke the boy's cheek.

"Nice try, kid. But I meant the real you." Shichiro clarifies and this time Suzumi grins and pumps her fist.

"So that means I won!" She exclaims happily, Isamu smiling over at her while Daisuke glares.

"Not so fast, Suzumi-Chan." Shichiro tells her, narrowing his eyes as he adds, "This was a test of your ability, not anyone else's."

And he leaves it at that. Daisuke and Isamu appear confused by the vague statement from their sensei. But Suzumi knew it had to do with whoever threw the paper bomb. Still, she thought second place wasn't so bad. But it definitely wasn't first, and she made a vow to herself to work harder so she could be the one to come out on top next time.

"Isamu, you get here first by your own means." Shichiro says, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small piece of paper, "That means you get to enjoy some free ramen on me while the two losers get to go home hungry."

Isamu smiles widely at this, green eyes alight with delight. Suzumi felt genuinely happy for her teammate. He seemed nice enough, specially compared to The Uchiha.

"But Sensei, I want free ramen too!" Daisuke exclaims, pulling a puppy dog look.

"Yeah Sensei, me too! I love ramen!" Suzumi claims, the two poking out their bottom lips and pouting.

"Then maybe next time you two will will take the honest route like your teammate, Isamu." Shichiro tells them simply before yawning and stretching, "Let's go Isamu. A ramen filled heaven awaits us."

Both Suzumi and Daisuke are forced to watch the two leave then, stomachs growling pitifully in the process.

"This is all your fault!" Daisies exclaims, turning to the kunoichi beside him with a glare.

"How is it my fault? You're the one who cheated!" Suzumi tells him, narrowing her eyes threateningly.

"If you hadn't put that stupid spirit chain on me, then I would've gotten here before you without the clone!"

"That's the point, stupid, to stop you from getting here first!"

"Well look what you've done now, neither of us are first, and it's all your fault! You owe me free ramen-"

"Cheaters don't get free ramen!"

"Cheater or smart Uchiha?"

"How about dead Uchiha!"

And with that Suzumi Sadachi begins to chase Daisuke Uchiha into the setting sun covering the entirety of Konoha. The Uchiha's screams could be heard from miles away, and it made the Sadachi girl smile as she began to form what felt like a friendship that would last her a lifetime.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I hope Suzumi's team is enjoyable and makes sense! Yes, Daisuke is ooc for an Uchiha but I thought he might be a nice addition.


	6. Chapter 6 & 7

CHAPTER SIX + SEVEN  
LATCH + A TEST OF WEAKNESS, A TEST OF STRENGTH

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The next morning finds Suzumi walking to the training grounds. She felt like a bundle of nerves. Their sensei most likely wanted to get a better gauge of their abilities before they took on any missions. Which meant that he would most likely want them to demonstrate them. And it wasn't Shichiro Sensei's reaction she was most worried about, it was her teammates. People were either awed when they saw a Sadachi's true capabilities in person, or fearful.

She could only hope it be the latter. Daisuke hadn't reacted out of the ordinary to her Spirit Chain Jutsu, but what about when she actually summoned a spirit? Of course she couldn't do so now, but when the time called for it, she might not have a choice.

"Hey, wait for me!" A voice calls out, and Suzumi blinks in surprise when she looks back at the familiar raven haired boy running towards her.

"Sasuke, what are you doing out of the compound by yourself?" She asks, allowing he younger to catch up with her.

"I can be alone. I'm not a baby." The Uchiha boy pouts before adding, "And besides, Itachi said he'd train with me but he lied, again."

"Oh" Suzumi murmurs because she didn't take Itachi for the lying type. But when she looks at Sasuke's dejected face she realizes it must happen often and it makes her feel bad. Bad enough to crouch down and try to comfort the small boy, "I'm sure he doesn't do it on purpose, Sasuke. He's probably just busy. Prodigies usually have packed schedules. But don't worry, I am sure he will make time for you soon. In the meantime, would you like to accompany me to my first team training exercise?"

Sasuke's face lights up at this and it makes Suzumi smile because he reminded her so much of Sayuri in that moment.

"Really? I'd love to!" The raven haired boy exclaims, catching her by surprise when he grabs her hand, "Come on, let's go!"

"Okay, we're almost there." Suzumi informs him, giggling at his enthusiasm.

Their first training exercise is to be held at the Nara clan forest. It confused Suzumi because it was such a serene place. Surely their sensei did not expect them to bring the nosiness of battle to such a place?

"I've never been here before." Sasuke says, in awe of the peaceful scenery. His eyes widen then and he starts to point, "Look at all of the deer!"

"The Nara and the deer have a special connection. Had Shichiro sensei not warned them of us coming, they would have surely attacked us by now." Suzumi informs him, making Sasuke glance at her with a look of disbelief.

She can see Daisuke resting against a tree in the distance while Isamu is admiring the deer from afar.

"Daisuke, Isamu, this is Sasuke." Suzumi introduces, smiling when Sasuke hides behind her rather shyly, "Sasuke, meet my teammates."

"Hey, why'd you bring an Uchiha kid?" Daisuke questions, trying to get a better look at Sasuke. He seems to think on his statement a moment before scratching his head, "Wait... why didn't I bring an Uchiha kid?"

"Is he really an Uchiha?" Sasuke whispers to Suzumi who shrugs.

"I ask myself that every time I see him." She mutters causing Daisuke to glare at her.

"Hey! I heard that Sadachi!"

"Glad to see your basic hearing functions are still working, Dasiuke-Kun." Suzumi tells him with a sweet smile that makes him roll his eyes.

"Just because you kidnapped some kid to babysit doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you today." Daisuke boasts with a wide grin. Suzumi seats herself beside him before helping Sasuke down as well.

"No, you're going to make a clone to do all of the hard work for you then swoop in last minute like you've won."

Surprisingly, it's Isamu who says this. Both Suzumi and Daisuke stare at him with their mouths open in clear shock. The blond hadn't spoken much since they became a team. So of course his sudden outburst caught them off guard.

"Yamanaka-" Daisuke starts slowly, "Who's side are you on?"

"Sorry" Isamu says softly, a faint blush dusting his cheeks as he returns back to his naturally shy self.

"What a strange team I am on." Suzumi mutters, Daisuke nodding in agreement.

"What a strange team I have." A familiar voice adds before Shichiro comes strolling into view.

"Sensei!" Daisuke exclaims with an excited smile.

"If only I were as excited to see you as you are to see me." Shichiro says casually, causing the Uchiha boy to visibly deflate.

"But sensei, am I not your favorite yet?" The Uchiha asks with a pout that causes Sasuke to stare at him. Clearly the younger was still wondering if Daisuke was really an Uchiha since his mannerisms screamed the exact opposite.

"I like Isamu the best." Shichiro tells them causing the Yamanaka boy to smile shyly. The sensei then motions to the teams only kunoichi, "Suzumi is a capable kunoichi as well. And I'm sure she'll be even more capable when she shows me her own techniques and abilities."

Suzumi could feel a blush tint her cheeks because she still had no way of explaining the paper bomb incident.

"But what about me sensei?" Daisuke whines with a pout, "Don't you have anything good to say about me?"

"You?" Shichiro repeats, rubbing at the back of his neck with a confused expression, "I'm not really familiar with you. But I do know your clones pretty well."

Suzumi snickers at this while Isamu covers his face to hide his grin. Daisuke grits his teeth and growls, greatly resembling that of an Inuzuka. And Sasuke watches them all with wide eyes, probably wondering if all shinobi were so strange.

"You'll see, sensei. I'm going to do well in today's exercise." Daisuke claims with a determined look.

"That's good." Shichiro says simply before motioning behind him, "Because today's task is simple: keep the deer company."

"That's it?" Suzumi inquires with a frown.

"That's it." Shichiro informs her with a small smile and a lazy wave, "See you all at noon."

And with that, their sensei disappears in a puff of smoke.

"What the ..." Daisuke mutters in disbelief, "This is our first official practice? Deer babysitting?"

Isamu appears to be the only one unfazed by the assignment. The Yamanaka is staring off into the distance when something catches his attention. The deer appeared to be flocking towards something.

"I don't know-" The blond starts then, hand instinctively reaching for his kunai pouch as he detects a rather strong chakra signature, "This might be more interesting than we thought."

Daisuke and Suzumi have sensed it too, and are already on their feet.

The days training session was definitely going to be an interesting one.

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"There's our little Sasuke." Shisui says, shaking his head when he spots the smaller Uchiha with the Sadachi girl from the other day. She appeared to be much perkier than their last encounter. Her skin had some color to it, and she looked much healthier, and not as thin and gangly as before. The perfect condition for a little friendly spar, Shisui decided.

Itachi is standing beside him, face impassive as he stares at his little brother who's clinging to Suzumi.

"That Sadachi girl sure is interesting. Have you ever seen their clans abilities, Itachi?" Shisui asks, glancing at his best friend. Of course he receives a blank look in return. But it makes him smile as he continues, "No? Then it's only right that you get to see such wonders up close."

"Shisui" Itachi says, blinking at his friend. He clearly did not want to cause trouble in the Nara's forest. And neither did he want to waste time messing with a genin team. It was useless. He simply wanted to retrieve his foolish little brother and leave. But unfortunately, Shisui Uchiha had other plans in mind.

"Come on Itachi, we have nothing better to do." Shisui tells him with a shrug, which wasn't exactly the truth. He simply wanted to see the extent of the Sadachi girl's strength and abilities. And he thought now was the perfect time to do so. He pulls several kunai from his pouch then, preparing himself to attack, but not before instructing to his best friend, "Get rid of her teammates and distract Sasuke. I'm going to take the Sadachi head on."

And Itachi can only let out the smallest hint of a sigh as he watches his best friend disappear in a flicker. So much for simply coming to get his brother.

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Suzumi grabs Sasuke and cradles him to her chest as she jumps out of the way. Several kunai find themselves embedded into the tree she and Daisuke had been in front of mere seconds ago. Daisuke nearly bumps into Isamu in his haste to escape.

"Watch out!" Suzumi calls to them as she watches a barrage of kunai descend from above them. The two boys pull out their own kunai and try to deflect them as best as possible. Once the last kunai has been knocked away by Daisuke, the three teammates exchange looks.

The deer are going wild, running back and forth. But it seemed even they couldn't place where the enemy was either.

"Shichiro sensei is going to kill us if we let the deer panic like this, or worse if one of them gets killed!" Daisuke blurts out, worry evident on his face.

"That is why we must take down whoever is out there, and quickly." Suzumi instructs, trying to remain calm despite the rapid beating of her heart. Isamu and Daisuke nod, that is before their eyes widen.

And Suzumi is not sure why until she feels the cool blade of a kunai pressed to her throat.

"Drop the boy." A cool voice demands, and instinctively, Suzumi holds Sasuke tighter.

"Nii-San" Sasuke says suddenly, an angry pout on his face as he glares at the assailant, "What are you doing? This isn't funny."

'Itachi?' Suzumi frowns. Why would he be attacking them? It made no sense.

Before she can think on it fully, Sasuke squirms from her arms. He approaches his brother but Itachi simply side steps him and makes his way towards Suzumi. The Sadachi girl barely has time to react when he sends a punch her way but she grips his fist just in time. But what she's not expecting is for him to pull back and send her stumbling towards him. Because her hands are still gripping his fist, he only has to use that hold to swing his arm out and send her flying in the opposite direction with surprising strength.

"Suzumi!" She can hear her teammates call as she rolls uselessly on the forest floor. She finally ends up on her back, gripping what she can of the forest floor to aid her in slowing down. The kunoichi is breathing heavily, surprised and confused by the sudden attack. But she doesn't have time to dwell on her confusion because a fist comes flying towards her face. Suzumi scoots out of the way just time to avoid it, only to scoot back in the same direction to block a follow up punch.

When her assailant descends upon her, she kicks out with as much strength as she can. But to her dismay, they simply block it with their knee.

"Happy to see me, little Sadachi?" Shisui smiles down at her before Suzumi stabs a kunai into his stomach and the clone disappears in a puff of smoke.

"Ecstatic" Suzumi mumbles sarcastically as she stumbles to her feet. She wipes the dirt from her skirt just as Shisui steps into view.

"I let you off easy yesterday." He says, watching her with a small smile before it disappears completely, "But today I want to see what you're made of, Sadachi."

He charges at her then and Suzumi scrambles to make a series of hand signs before holding her palm out. The Spirit Chain shoots out almost instantly, and it makes Shisui stop in his curiosity.

'What is this?' He wonders in amusement, allowing the chain to wrap around his ankle.

The Sadachi girl doesn't waste any time in yanking it back, and Shisui grunts when his back hits the dirt and he feels himself being pulled along.

'Interesting' He thought. Now, it was time to test it's limits. He reaches for the chain on his ankle, only to watch as his hand disappears right through it. 'I see. So it is only able to be touched by the spirit ninja.'

Shisui forms a series of hand signs then, leaning up when he gets close enough to the Sadachi girl. He opens his mouth and sends a ball of flame her way. The Spirit Chain disappears in a cloud of dark wisps then as she jumps out of the way to avoid the fireball. He thought it strange that she dispelled the Spirit Chain so quickly, but perhaps she had a hard time maintaining it to begin with?

His thoughts are cut short when he senses the kunoichi behind him. He whips around just in time to grab the fist she has aimed at him, using it to slam her into the ground. He can hear her grunt as her back hits the surface harshly.

'Where are your marks, Little Sadachi?' He wonders as he stares down at her. The Sadachi had customary markings on their bodies to represent their spirits. Sadao Sadachi's were a series of red, curving by each corner of his mouth. Sayuri's were the faintest hint of lavender curling around her ear. They were dull when their spirits were at rest, but illuminated when they weren't. Shisui searches Suzumi's body for hers as the kunoichi dazedly tumbles to her feet. As she stands, her shirt slips down the slightest bit in the front and that's when he spots them.

He had never seen such a thing before on a Sadachi. Usually, their spirit markings were colored. Suzumi's markings were stark black. And it made Shisui frown.

'You're special aren't you, little Sadachi?' He thinks before glancing at one of the trees to find Itachi watching them alongside an intrigued looking Sasuke, 'Very special indeed.'

Movement catches his eye and he looks over to see Suzumi's body stumble then jerk slightly. And he can only blink once before a black essence begins to pour from her open mouth and eyes. Shisui watches as the essence builds up, combining with her chakra to create a replica of the Sadachi girl: A Spirit Clone. Unlike normal clones, spirit clones couldn't be dispelled with one hit. Spirit clones contained the exact strength and abilities as their owners, and in fact, they were stronger. So much stronger that they took copious amount of chakra to maintain. And the longer they were kept active, the weaker the original spirit ninja grew.

Shisui knew that all he had to do was take on the real Suzumi to have the clone dispelled. But he wanted to see the clone's power first.

And said clone only gives him a chance to blink before their descending upon him. The clone is fast, much faster than the original Suzumi. But Shisui still has no problems keeping up. Unlike with the original, the clone is able to create Spirit Chains with a simple wave of it's palm. And even more, they can create multiple at that. Shisui watches as several wrap around his ankles and pull him down. Just as his back hits the ground, another series wrap around his arms and pull him up, slamming him into a nearby tree.

The Uchiha's back hits the surface roughly making him grit his teeth as he slides down he tree like a rag doll. The clone is already doing a series of hand signs before holding out it's palm. Shisui eyes the pale ball of golden essence that shoots towards him wearily. It stops just in front of his face. And he feels his mouth and eyes being forced open before a powerful suctioning feeling occurs. The ball, albeit small, was consuming his chakra it seemed.

It was an uncomfortable feeling, and Shisui was thankful when the ball seemed content with the amount of chakra received. He makes a clone just in time when the ball begins to shake erratically before exploding in a cloud of gold essence that burns right through the tree. Nothing but a hole in the tree and black ash remains.

Shisui takes it in with a small smirk. The Sadachi were definitely interesting after all. But now, he'd had enough. He spots the original Suzumi struggling to keep herself upright off to the side. And after making a series of hand signs, he charges at her. Shisui opens his mouth and watches as a gust of fire in the shape of a dragon descends upon the kunoichi.

Suzumi appeared to be too weak to avoid it completely. Her clone seemed to sense this as well, and struggled to force it's way back into her body. Just as the kunoichi was mere seconds from being reduced to ash an impassive looking Itachi appeared before her, grabbing the kunoichi by the back of her shirt before disappearing in a flicker.

Shisui watches in disappointment as it all happens. So much for teaching the Sadachi a lesson, he thought blandly. Itachi appears beside him a second later, dropping the kunoichi rather unceremoniously to the ground.

"Not bad, little Sadachi." Shisui tells her, despite the fact that she was just barely conscious, "However, you have a lot of practicing to do, and we will now leave you all to it."

Suzumi blinks blearily at him in return, and it makes Shisui smile before he looks over at her teammates. They were sitting on the forest floor with horrified expressions. They appeared to be in some sort of daze. Or rather, Itachi had placed them under genjutsu upon encountering them and had left the poor genins in it the entire time.

"Is that an Uchiha?" Shisui questions with a frown in Daisuke's direction before mumbling, "He's got to do better."

The faintest hint of a smirk appears on Itachi's lips, indicating that he was amused. He releases the two genin from the genjutsu before jumping to the branch that his brother waited on. Itachi allows Sasuke to climb on his back before making his way back into town, through the forest.

"Later little Sadachi." Shisui says with a grin before following after the other two Uchiha.

Suzumi watches him go through hazy vision. And then slowly, wincing at the fatigue enveloping her, she crawls her way over to her teammates. Once she makes it to the two boys, her arms give out and she collapses face first in the ground.

"Suzumi-Chan" A voice greets her ears, despite the fact that it sounded miles away. She feels herself being lifted up before she's face to face with a worried looking Isamu who murmurs, "That Uchiha, he put us under a genjutsu."

"I..." Daisuke speaks up, causing his teammates to glance over at him. The Uchiha boy is staring off into the distance with a traumatized expression, "I just saw my cat die three hundred times."

The three genin simply remain there in their exhausted and defeated states before someone clears their throat.

"What the hell happened here?" A familiar voice demands and they all look over to see Shichiro. The sensei is standing there with his arms crossed over his chest and a mixture of a confused and annoyed expression.

The genin gulp nervously in unison. They definitely had some explaining to do.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Shisui was clearly toying with Suzumi as he could have easily defeated her. He simply wished to see more of how the Sadachi used their abilities. I hope I balanced out Suzumi's fighting skills, I don't want to make her too weak or too overpowered, but somewhere in between.


	7. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

AN UCHIHA HAS NO PURPOSE WITH A SADACHI

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Suzumi winces as Isamu applies healing ointment to the scrapes on her arms.

"Sorry" The Yamanaka mumbles, a faint blush covering his cheeks as he concentrates on his task.

"It's okay. Thank you, Isamu." Suzumi tells him, a small smile on her lips despite her current battered state. They're seated a small table in the back of a tea shop after their encounter with Shisui and Itachi. Their sensei had been summoned to the Hokage's office suddenly, leaving him no to time to properly scold them. Instead, he told them to go rest before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

"Uhm-" Daisuke starts hesitantly, pausing before finally saying, "Not to be nosy, Suzumi-Chan. But how exactly do you know Shisui-San and Itachi-San? And why did they show up randomly and hand our genin asses to us?"

"They did not hand our asses to us." Suzumi denies, sniffing quietly before murmuring, "They just took us down with ease ... a lot of ease. In fact-"

"Okay, we get it. We suck." Daisuke interrupts, rolling his eyes, "Now stop avoiding the question."

"I don't know them. I guess you could say we had an encounter. But I may have rubbed Shisui-San the wrong way." Their kunoichi teammate admits quietly, regretting ever growing bold towards the Uchiha. What had she been thinking?

"Well, could you not piss the experts off anymore please?" Daisuke grumbles, rubbing at his eyes tiredly, "I've had enough genjutsu to last me my entire nin career."

"Isn't that a little dramatic, Daisuke-San?" Isamu asks quietly making the Uchiha boy roll his eyes.

"Once again, who's side are you on Yamanaka?" The raven-haired boy questions his teammate.

"Sorry, Daisuke-San." Isamu says, though the impassive look on his face says he could care less. Suzumi giggles at the display while Daisuke rolls his eyes.

Silence consumes the group of genin then as they allow themselves to relax in the comforting aura of the tea shop. But said comfort is short lived when Daisuke's eyes widen, and he bolts upright.

"Oh no" The Uchiha boy mumbles causing his teammates to glance at him in confusion.

"What is it, Daisuke-Kun?" Suzumi asks tiredly, wincing when Isamu applies more appoint. The Yamanaka boy gives her another sympathetic look, but she ignores it to stare at their raven-haired teammate questioningly.

"Don't look now, but our company has returned sooner that we were expecting." Daisuke says, nodding in the direction of the shop's entrance. Suzumi hesitates before following his line of sight, only to swallow thickly at what she sees.

"Maybe if we don't look at them, they won't notice us." The Kunoichi suggests weakly earning a withering glare from the Uchiha boy across from her.

"Just don't do anything to piss them off, Sadachi." Daisuke tells her, nodding at Isamu who appears to be the only calm one given their situation, "Isamu is really scarred from the Genjutsu Itach-San put us under. Do you really want to put him through that again?"

Isamu frowns at this while Suzumi grins in amusement. Clearly Daisuke was talking about himself, if the way he kept shaking every so often, albeit subtly, were any indication.

"But Daisuke-San, I am fine-" Isamu tries to assure, but Daisuke simply places a finger to the blond's lips, causing the Yamanaka boy's eyes to widen and a blush to dust his pale cheeks.

"Shh, I'm trying to help you here, Yamanaka." Daisuke tells his blond teammate with a wink that causes Isamu to quickly look away. The blush on his cheeks is still ever present as shakes his head before returning to his task of applying healing ointment. Suzumi smiles at the interaction, opening her mouth to speak only to abruptly freeze when a familiar voice speaks up.

"Well, well, if it isn't our favorite genin team." The voice claims making Suzumi flinch before she looks over to find a grinning Shisui standing beside their table with an impassive looking Itachi and another unfamiliar, smirking Uchiha. Once he realizes he has the genin team's attention, Shisui's grin widens as he raises a brow and teases, "Are you guys stalking us?"

Suzumi rolls her eyes at this.

"Shouldn't we be the ones to ask you that?" She retorts, crossing her arms over her chest rather sassily before she remembers their earlier encounter that makes her wince and instantly regret her behavior. The kunoichi forces a smile and quickly backtracks, "Shisui-San, Itachi-San, Uchiha-San, it is nice to see you all here."

The unfamiliar Uchiha snorts at this, while even Itachi appears somewhat amused and glances at Shisui for his response. But Shisui simply rolls his eyes before pulling out a chair to sit beside Suzumi.

"Cut the crap, Sadachi." He says as he plops down beside her. The unfamiliar Uchiha sits in the unoccupied chair beside Daisuke and Itachi slips into a chair beside him. Daisuke looks uncomfortable sitting beside both males, glancing at them every so often from the corner of his eye.

"Hey, isn't she Sadao's oldest?" The unfamiliar Uchiha asks, to which Shisui nods in response. Upon receiving the confirmation, the unfamiliar Uchiha crosses his arms over his chest with a smirk and states, "As the Sadachi clan leader's offspring, you must be pretty powerful. But you are still no match for an Uchiha."

Suzumi could feel anger consume her almost immediately, making her grip the edge of the table with surprising strength. But before she can respond, a sharp kick to her shin causes her to grunt in pain. Daisuke gives her a panicked look that causes her to bite back her response as she rubs soothingly at her knee.

"What's the matter little Sadachi?" Shisui teases, an amused grin pulling at his lips as he adds, "Cat got your tongue?"

It's Daisuke's turn to look away, a faint pink hue dusting his cheeks at the indirect implication of the Genjutsu Itachi had put him under. He would probably never be able to erase the memory of his cat, Taro, dying several times in the span of such a short amount of times, and repeatedly as well.

"If we are not confident in our abilities, then how will we master them?" A timid voice speaks up, shocking everyone when Isamu stares at Shisui with sudden confidence. Daisuke shoots his teammate a fearful look while Suzumi gives him a surprised, but thankful smile. The faint quirking of Itachi's lips lets everyone know that even he approves of the Yamanaka boy's response as well.

"You are not wrong, Yamanaka." The unfamiliar Uchiha tells Isamu with a shrug before leaning closer to the table and adding with a sudden serious expression, "So listen and listen well, from an experienced Shinobi to an inexperienced one. Your confidence is your best hidden weapon. Even if you cannot defeat your enemy, your ability to save face and not let it show is what might save you. Sometimes if an enemy sees how confident you are in battle, they might deem you more powerful than them in their eyes. And that in itself might give you the advantage you may need in order to defeat them."

Suzumi listens intently to the elder's words. She might not have been particularly fond of the Uchiha, but any advice she received, she would gladly take. After all, she was sitting with three skilled, experienced Shinobi. She could only hope to achieve at least half of their success in her lifetime.

"Remember this, little genin, as it will be the only advice you'll ever get from me." Shisui says suddenly, a faint smile on his lips as he continues, "The first to falter is always the first to fall. Do not falter if you do not wish to fall."

Suzumi couldn't help but notice the somber tint to the elder's smile. His usual teasing aura was gone, and replaced by a boy who had seen things the likes of what Suzumi probably couldn't imagine. It reminded her then that despite being so young, Shisui had seen and done a lot. And in that moment, Suzumi felt the utmost respect for the elder. After all, the Uchiha had clearly gone through a lot during his time as a Shinobi, all to protect the village. A village that Suzumi herself lived in, and so, she felt that she at least owed him for that.

"Thank you, Shisui-San." Suzumu tells him with a genuinely grateful smile, "We will take your advice to heart."

Shisui appears torn between disbelief and genuine appreciation for her words. Finally, he seems to settle for the former, a small smile on his lips as he stares at the female kunoichi. In that moment, Suzumi found the Uchiha to be somewhat bearable. And that perhaps, this was the start of another friendship. Surely, the spirits would be displeased. But Suzumi found that she liked interacting with actual living people now. She yearned to form special bonds with those she could touch, and speak to on whim. And she planned on forming as many of these bonds as she could, no matter if they were with an Uchiha or anyone else for that matter.

"You impressed us today, little Sadachi." Shisui says suddenly, returning her attention back to the conversation at hand. Suzumi steals a peek at Itachi to find him staring at her and it makes her quickly look away, cheeks burning with the beginning signs of a blush. Somehow, she almost forgot he had been there to witness her and Shisui's "spar". She doubted the likes of Itachi Uchiha had been impressed by the sight of such a disaster, but Suzumi didn't want to waste time inquiring about his actual opinion on the matter. After all, it wasn't like Itachi wouldn't give her anything other than a simple, one-word response that would be so vague she'd regret asking in the first place. Still, Suzumi couldn't help but wonder his opinion of her. Which was strange, Suzumi never really cared for anyone's opinion of her, other than her father, that is. But there was something about the Uchihas in general that made her feel slightly inadequate.

"But you still have a lot of work to do." Shisui continues, "I'd recommend starting with taijutsu."

It was true that the Sadachi lacked physical prowess. The Sadachi were a clan of tall, lanky men and average height, lithe women. Alongside mastering their clan jutsu, one thing that Sadachi children were trained in early on was taijutsu. Their bodies were somewhat frail for nin and it was easy for them to get injured since they lacked proper constitution to maintain good health. Suzumi remembered spending many of her days receiving physical training, which often meant sparring with children from other clans. She still had the bruises from just how badly she'd lost in these spars. Each punch had set fire to her skin and each kick felt as if her soul was truly leaving her body. Suzumi didn't know if she was just being dramatic back then, but physical training was difficult for her. Still, if she wanted to be a skilled kunoichi, she'd just have to manage, it seemed.

"Imagine a Sadachi with expert taijutsu." The unfamiliar Uchiha speaks up, an amused smirk on his lips, "They might almost be on the level of an Uchiha – "

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Ryu." Shisui tells his fellow clansmen, jerking a thumb at Suzumi who's too busy cringing at the prospect of taijutsu training, "The little Sadachi still has a lot to learn. Her chakra control is still off, as well as her concentration. She couldn't maintain her jutsu, which in itself is a liability. Her reflexes are somewhat slow too, and she can't pack a punch to save her life- "

"I'm sorry, are you her Sensei now? Don't tell me you're going to help train her too." Is the other Uchiha, Ryu's response as he rolls his eyes at his friend.

"I could- "

"Shisui, didn't you say these were Shichiro's kids? Let him handle them- "

"Are you afraid I might train the little Sadachi to be powerful enough to kick your ass when you displease me?"

"Oh please, as if that spirit hugger could ever lay a finger on me – "

"She might not be able to, but I surely can."

"Is that a threat?"

"Take it as you wish."

"Why you- "

The genin team watch with wide eyes as the two Uchiha go back and forth. Daisuke is glancing nervously between the two, seemingly afraid to get caught in the cross fire. Isamu appears to be confused by their behavior, blinking slowly at the scene unfolding before him. Suzumi watches in pure amusement, hoping the dispute would escalate into a spar. Maybe she could pick up on a few techniques in the process. The dark haired kunoichi glances beside Ryu to find Itachi watching them rather impassively.

"Does this happen often?" She asks him, referring to the two bickering Uchiha males.

"More than you can imagine." He informs her, surprising the kunoichi with an actual response. Suzumi watches as Itachi sighs almost inaudibly before standing. Almost immediately, both Ryu and Shisui cease their argument and turn to him. The long haired Uchiha pushes his chair in while stating quietly, "We are attracting too much attention. Let us leave and allow Shichiro's team to rest properly."

"You are right. We should leave. I'm sure Sasuke is wondering where you are anyway, Itachi." Shisui agrees, surprisingly. He stands from his own chair and stretches briefly.

"Yeah, didn't you say you'd help him train today, anyway?" Ryu speaks up as he stands, glancing at Itachi who ignores him. But the other Uchiha appears used to the behavior and simply brushes the gesture off.

"Make sure to rest _and_ eat, little Sadachi." Shisui says, winking at Suzumi with a small grin, "We'll be seeing each other sooner than you think."

The female genin ducks her head at this, hating the rosy tint to her cheeks at being on the receiving end of such a gesture. She can hear Daisuke snickering and feel Isamu's curious gaze, but she ignores them both to stare at the table.

"If only you had something better to do than to annoy Shichiro's genin team." Ryu retorts before Suzumi can reply. Shisui cuts his eyes at him, but Ryu simply laughs before leaving, an annoyed Shisui following closely behind.

"I will escort you back to your compound."

Suzumi's eyes shoot up at the sound of Itachi's firm voice. She looks over to find him simply standing there, seemingly waiting for. She was confused by his offer. Why would he go out of his way to escort her? She was injured, but not to the extent that she couldn't make it back to the Sadachi compound in one piece. She didn't want to decline his offer, as it would not only be rude, but could be considered disrespectful as well. And despite it all, she was still grateful for the offer. But before she can accept or decline it, it's Daisuke who speaks up.

"Ah, Itachi-San, Suzumi-Chan is grateful for your offer, but Isamu and I will kindly escort our teammate-" The younger Uchiha tries to say, but one simple glance from Itachi has him swallowing nervously and quickly backtracking, " A-Actually, on second thought, she will gladly accept your offer. Right, Suzumi-Chan?"

Suzumi looks over at Daisuke to find him staring at her intently as if mentally relaying to "accept the offer already!".

" _Right_ , Suzumi-Chan?" Daisuke presses, eye twitching as he maintains his forced smile. Suzumi smiles in amusement at this. She truly enjoyed watching him suffer.

"Yes, Daisuke-Kun, I will." The genin kunoichi says finally, snickering when Daisuke sighs in relief. Isamu pushes his plate of dango towards the stressed Uchiha making Daisuke visibly perk up as he grabs one and hurriedly devours it.

"Here" Isamu says, handing their female teammate a small container of healing ointment, "Apply some before bed tonight and in the morning, when you wake up. You should be feeling well enough to train by then."

"Thank you, Isamu." Suzumi says politely as she stands, earning a simple, kind smile from Isamu in response. She then turns her attention to Daisuke, rolling her eyes at the Uchiha who's happily devouring Isamu's dango, "At least someone on this team cares about my well-being."

Daisuke pauses in his dango eating then to give her a wide grin.

"Feel better, Suzumi-Chan!" He exclaims before returning to his eating. Isamu shakes his head at this despite watching their teammate with a fond smile.

"See you tomorrow, Suzumi-Chan." The blond Yamanaka boy bids her a goodbye softly. Suzumi gives him a small wave before heading to where Itachi is patiently waiting. Once she nears, he immediately turns and begins to walk out of the small tea shop. Suzumi struggles to keep up with his long, graceful strides. Once they're outside, the kunoichi frowns when she notices Ryu and Shisui are long gone. So, it would just be she and Itachi, it seemed.

Suzumi tries not to let her disappointment show as she falls into pace with the long haired Uchiha. Though she didn't want to admit it, she felt inadequate around Itachi. She was a mere genin with many miles to go in her shinobi career. Meanwhile, Itachi was around her age and had taken leaps in the matter of seconds. Suzumi felt somewhat envious. While she didn't exactly wish to be a prodigy, as they had too many expectations that weighed them down, she did wish to be a prominent member of her clan. The Sadachi were already a somewhat well-known clan, but Suzumi wished to elevate them. She wished to be a kunoichi that people could simply recognize by name. But all of her hopes seemed so far away, that she was already beginning to grow discouraged. She didn't want to be left behind in the shadows as mediocre. She wanted to rise and take her clan with her. Suzumi wanted to give the Sadachi a place in the spotlight again.

"Shisui seems to have taken a liking to you." Itachi's voice is quiet, but easy to hear now that they're gaining distance from the evening chatter within the town. But it surprises Suzumi who wasn't expecting the Uchiha to make conversation. When she looks over, he's actually glancing at her and it makes Suzumi swallow thickly when he adds, "And you appear to be fond of him, as well."

"I-" Suzumi hesitates, feeling both embarrassed at his words and nervous under his intense gaze. The dark haired kunoichi struggles to come with a response before finally saying, "I realize I may have overstepped my boundaries with my behavior. And for that, I apologize, Uchiha-San. Shisui-San has been very lenient, and as an insolent genin, I have ignored this."

Itachi doesn't reply at first. And in the silence that follows, Suzumi mentally scolds herself. She had allowed herself to get too comfortable with the Uchiha's and much too quickly. Sadachi weren't supposed to act in such a playful manner. They were serious people, and Suzumi had acted anything but. She couldn't believe that she had so blatantly acted out of her clan's norms, but she felt that she couldn't help it. She was interacting with people outside of her clan now, and it had excited her to the point that she was able to break out of her shell. But now, she remembers that her father would scold her if he saw her acting in such a manner, challenging an Uchiha and even eating a meal in their compound, she immensely regretted her lapse in behavior.

"Shisui is wise with his time. He does not waste it." Itachi says, as the two maneuver through the forest leading to the Sadachi compound. His words confuse Suzumi who hesitates, nearly tripping over a tree branch in the process. Luckily, she straightens herself last minute and manages to catch back up with the Uchiha.

"An Uchiha has no purpose with a Sadachi." Suzumi states, reciting the very words her father had told when she had inquired about the mysterious clan. She watches as Itachi stops at the same spot that he had last time, as if he knew exactly where the Sadachi compound was, as if he could see right through it's illusion.

"No, they do not." He replies finally, making Suzumi frown as he agrees with her. Did he share the same mindset as her father concerning their clans? She was curious, but before she could question him, he was already turning away, but not without a quiet, "Goodbye, Sadachi-San."

Suzumi can only so much as blink before he takes off among the trees, leaving her to stand there alone. She didn't know what to make of the encounter. And the sudden stinging in her wounds hinders her from pondering on it. Suzumi does the hand signs to enter the compound quickly. She closes her eyes briefly, and when she opens them, the forest floor and vast trees surrounding her are replaced with ashen cobblestone and olive gray buildings. Various graves are dug in front of the homes, and in the midst of it all is a fenced off area with an ominous temple in the middle – Sadao's residence.

"Neechan!" An excited voice calls out and Suzumi barely has time to react when a smaller body comes crashing into hers. The dark-haired girl tries not to wince as she reaches down to pat Sayuri's back gently.

"It's nice to see you too, Sayuri-Chan." Suzumi says gently, laughing at her sister's behavior. The smaller girl was always waiting for her to return home whenever she left. And usually, her father was as well. But Suzumi frowns when she notices that he's nowhere in sight. She decides to ask her younger sister of his whereabouts, "Sayuri, where is father?"

"He went to the Uchiha compound." Sayuri informs her with a pout, "And he wouldn't let me go too, Neechan! It's not fair! I wanted to play with Sasuke again!"

' _W-what_ ' Suzumi feels herself freeze. What could her father possibly want with the Uchiha? But most importantly, why did he go alone? Usually, when Sadao conducted official clan business he would bring Suzumi along since she was to eventually be the clan head one day. But now it seemed that he had left with no intentions of informing her whatsoever. But why? Suzumi felt dread creep in the pit of her gut at being left oblivious.

"Stay here Sayuri-Chan. I'll be right back, okay?" She tells her sister who nods despite the confusion evident on her face. The dark haired kunoichi then turns, prepared to leave when a hand grabs her arm none too gently, preventing her from making the hand signs to leave the compound.

"Not so fast, Suzumi-Chan." A voice says before she looks over to find a fellow clansmen staring at her rather sternly, "Sadao has instructed that you remain here in his absence."

Suzumi feels her dread increase ten-fold at his words. What was her father up to? She knew a mere clansmen would not have the answers. No, she would have to question her actual father. So, she simply nods, seeing no need in resisting and causing a commotion.

"You are injured." The clansmen notes then, releasing his grip on her arm, "Let us see a healer."

And with that, he turns and walks away, expecting her to follow. Suzumi doesn't waste any time, grabbing Sayuri's hand and pulling her along gently as they head to the clan's healer. All the while, her mind is racing with probabilities. And they all involved her father and his mysterious meeting with the Uchiha's.

" _An Uchiha has no purpose with a Sadachi_." Her earlier words flash through her mind, but now, Suzumi was left to wonder if they actually bore any truth.

But with the sinking feeling consuming her, a part of Suzumi hoped it was true, and the other feared what would happen if it wasn't.

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	8. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

TEAM SHICHIRO COMING THROUGH!

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Suzumi awakes to darkness.

The Sadachi weren't very fond of sunlight, thus their skin was pale as children. And then, as they grew and became shinobi, it gained color from their sudden stints in the sun. Windows were not custom in Sadachi homes. Rather, they used the occasional candle or two to light the way in their homes. However, Sadao was finicky about candles as well, and so Suzumi became accustomed to the darkness. By the age of six, she had memorized the outline of their temple likened home and hadn't run into anything and nearly cracked her head open since then.

Sayuri, on the other hand, was still trying to manage. It wasn't unlikely to hear a loud bump followed by a shrill shout of an "I'm okay!" in their home whenever the younger did manage to run into something. Every time it happened, Suzumi couldn't help but snicker in amusement. Sayuri was truly her light in the darkness that surrounded her.

The dark haired Sadachi girl looks over to find her younger sister still fast asleep. Sayuri is curled in a pile of blankets, brow scrunched slightly as she dreams. Suzumi smiles at the sight. It was moments like these that she truly felt at peace. But such serene moments are always brief and fickle. Loud knocking at their bedroom door reminds her of this.

It was her father, of course. He always knocked in the morning, before disappearing for his duties. It was his own way of waking them up. He never bid them a good morning and neither did he stick around afterwards. But Suzumi figured it was probably better that way.

"Have a good day, Otōsan." She calls quietly, and almost as if her father could hear her, the knocking ceases then footsteps sound before everything is quiet once more.

Sadao was gone, so Suzumi slipped her eyes closed and returned to her world of imagination where every morning, _he stayed_.

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"You are feeling better today, ne Suzumi-Chan?" Isamu greets Suzumi with a kind smile when she enters their team's training grounds later that morning. The Yamanaka boy's usually neat blond bun is slightly disheveled, the faintest hint of sweat is lining his forehead, and his breathing is somewhat uneven. But his voice is still just as soft, and his smile is still just as sweet. Briefly, Suzumi wondered how Isamu could be so graceful all of the time. Surely, she did not look so nice after training. She made note to ask the Yamanaka boy his secret one day.

"Ah, yes, and it is mostly due to that wonderful healing ointment of yours. Thank you, Isamu." Suzumi answers finally with a small smile, watching as Isamu's cheeks take on a faint pink hue and he immediately ducks his gaze shyly. But before the Yamanaka boy can respond, a loud, obnoxious voice interrupts.

"Ha! It seems the time has finally come!" Daisuke appears, a kunai in his free hand while he points his free finger at Suzumi, "My long-awaited rival has come and now the battle of the century will ensue!"

" _Spar_ , you two will be _sparring_." An exasperated voice interrupts, and Suzumi looks over to find their Sensei standing in the shadows of a nearby tree. Shichiro sighs before waving his students off, "Oh, forget it."

"Today, here and now, I, the great Daisuke Uchiha, will defeat the spirit queen, Sadachi Suzumi!" Daisuke exclaims, a boyish grin on his lips as he continues. Suzumi rolls her eyes, but readies her stance nonetheless. Thanks to Isamu's healing ointment, she felt much better considering the beat down she had received the other day. Now, she was ready to train. In comparison to everything they'd done so far, she could finally impress her Sensei by showing him what _she_ could actually do.

"Defend yourself, Suzumi. Daisuke will be on the offensive, and I've instructed him not to go easy." Shichiro speaks up suddenly, stifling a yawn as he adds, "Oh, and Taijutsu only. Begin!"

Suzumi frowns at this. Taijutsu only? Of course, her first official day training and it was in the one area the she severely lacked in. And, it didn't help that her sparring partner was none other than Daisuke. Despite his seemingly oblivious and playful nature, Daisuke was quite skilled. He was quick on his feet, and Suzumi knew she'd have a difficult time keeping up. Which is exactly why Shichiro wanted to see the two spar. He wanted to see if Suzumi could keep up. And the Sadachi girl didn't want to be one to disappoint. So, it is with that in mind that she straightens her stance, watching as Daisuke tosses his kunai aside, the weapon flying past their Sensei and embedding into the tree behind the elder. And then, the Uchiha boy _charges_.

Daisuke is so fast that Suzumi is sure that she merely blinks once before he is descending upon her with his fist drawn. The Sadachi girl wraps her hand around the Uchiha boy's fist that he aims at her face, feeling her strength drain as he pushes against her hold. Just barely, she manages to grab his other fist when he attempts to use it as well. With both of his fists in her hold, Suzumi believes she has the upper hand. But she can only let out a surprised cry when Daisuke uses the hold she has on his fists to lift her up and then toss her aside as if she weighed that of a leaf. Suzumi is sent flying sideways in the opposite direction, the vertigo of it all knocking the air from her lungs and leaving her breathless before she lands on her back with a pained grunt.

But she doesn't have time to recover because Daisuke runs towards her and aims a rather powerful kick to her head that she just barely manages to avoid by rolling out of the way. Suzumi quickly jumps up to a crouch and swings her leg out to knock the Uchiha boy from his feet. Daisuke's eyes widen the slightest bit as he loses his balance, but instead of falling completely, he simply falls into a backflip, landing on his feet with a small smirk. Suzumi grits her teeth as she stands slowly. The silence in the training grounds is deadly as the two genin size each other up, Daisuke eying the kunoichi with an underlying challenge while Suzumi attempts to quickly formulate a plan to counter the Uchiha's quick movements.

Finally, Daisuke charges at her once more. Suzumi manages to block the punch he aims at her by crossing her arms and covering her face. But the Uchiha boy simply uses this to his advance. The dark haired kunoichi feels him grab her arms before he completely catches her off-guard with an unexpected albeit powerful headbutt. But the excruciating pain that ignites in her head is nothing compared to when he promptly knees her in the stomach making Suzumi grunt in pain. With the kunoichi hunched over, Daisuke simply uses her position to grab the front of her shirt and lift her up. He then twists her around quickly in circles before tossing her away. Suzumi is sent flying once more, but this time she's sent soaring upward.

Daisuke jumps after her, prepared to attack once more. However, the kunoichi surprises him when she reaches over and grab him. The two struggle in the air briefly before somehow, Suzumi manages to gain the upper hand. Just before they hit the ground, she flips them so that she's on top. The Sadachi girl then balls her fist into the Uchiha's shirt and plants her feet on his chest. Suzumi pushes down, adding pressure to the effect of Daisuke's back hitting the rough ground. Her teammate grunts loudly, the impact of the crash creating a small crater in the ground. With all of the strength she has left, Suzumi then pushes off of the Uchiha, digging her foot into his stomach before she leaps forward and just barely manages to land on her feet.

The kunoichi's breathing is heavy as she watches Daisuke clutch his stomach. The Uchiha boy groans in pain, gritting his teeth as he rolls over and stumbles to a stand. He then straightens and prepares to attack his teammate once more.

"I've seen enough." Shichiro's voice interrupts the pair. Daisuke stops mid charge, looking over to find their Sensei twirling the kunai he had thrown earlier rather lazily. The Nara male is leaning against the tree now, watching them carefully.

"That last move was impressive, Suzumi-Chan!" Isamu exclaims, giving the kunoichi a bright smile. Suzumi smiles tiredly in return.

"Isamu!" Daisuke shouts indignantly then, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting as he murmurs, "What about me?"

" _You_ let her get the best of you by not taking this seriously. Her Taijutsu is below average and you took advantage of that by underestimating her, so in the end, she came out on top." Shichiro informs the Uchiha boy with a stern look that makes Daisuke duck his head before he adds, "Still, at least you have the speed and ability to back up your confidence. You are a very skilled genin, I'll give you that."

Daisuke's head shoots up at this and he beams widely.

"Ha! Did you guys hear that? Shichiro Sensei thinks I'm skilled!" The Uchiha boy exclaims happily, "I'm one step closer to becoming his favorite!"

"Keep dreaming." A soft voice says, and the team look over to find Isamu standing there with a faint red hue dusting his cheeks.

"Oh Isamu" Daisuke says, dropping to his knees and placing his hands on his chest dramatically, "You wound me."

The Yamanaka boy's face is bright red as he stares at his teammate making Suzumi shake her head and Shichiro sigh.

"If you don't get up then _I'm_ going to wound you." Suzumi tells the Uchiha boy, approaching him threateningly with a devious smirk.

"My irate kunoichi senses are tingling." Daisuke claims, jumping up and hiding beside Isamu who looks seconds from fainting, "Save me, Isamu!"

Shichiro shakes his head as he watches his genin team. Isamu has fainted and now, both Suzumi and Daisuke are arguing rather loudly over whose fault it was. The Jōnin then reminds himself to check his calendar when he got home to find out when his vacation days came in. He needed a break from them already. He surely regretted allowing his father to talk him into taking on a team of his own. Shichiro missed his afternoon naps in the Nara Forest.

"You look like you're regretting all of your life decisions." An amused voice notes, and Shichiro looks over to find an Anbu perched on the tree branch above him.

"Just one." He replies before the masked figure tosses a scroll that he catches without batting a lash. The faint sound of snickering emits from the Anbu before they disappear in a flicker.

Shichiro glances at his team to find both Suzumi and Daisuke taking turns slapping an unconscious Isamu. The Nara male sighs.

' _What a pain_ ' He thinks as he unravels the scroll. What he sees makes him frown, but he quickly fixes his face to roll the scroll again and tuck it into the pocket of his pants. The dark-haired male then makes his way towards the rest of his team.

"Hey, cut it out." He tells them, "The Hokage has requested our presence."

Almost immediately, Suzumi and Daisuke jump to the positions of attention. Even Isamu seems to instantly recover from his fainting spell, eyes wide as he leaps to his feet and assumes the position of attention as well.

"Yes Sensei!" The genin exclaim in unison, determined looks on their face as they stare straight ahead. Shichiro blinks in confusion. Why was his team so … _strange_? The Jōnin decides to ponder on it another time. He clears his throat then, rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck.

"Right, so the Hokage wishes to see us." He informs them once more, watching as their eyes gleam with excitement.

"Does this mean we're getting out first official mission, Sensei?" Daisuke blurts out, practically bouncing on his heels.

"I guess so." Shichiro answers with a frown. He felt uneasy. Their team hadn't even done any D ranked missions yet. Still, he watches as Daisuke pumps his fist in the air, grinning like mad, and Suzumi clenches her fist with a wide smile.

"Watch out shinobi world, Team Shichiro coming through!" Daisuke exclaims before taking off out of the training grounds in a full-on sprint, a giggling Suzumi following closely behind. Shichiro shakes his head at the sight.

"Man, those two are such a headache." The Nara male complains, tucking his hands in his pockets.

"Tell me about it." A soft voice says, causing the Jōnin to look over and find Isamu still standing there. The Yamanaka boy blinks slowly before walking forward, "Well, come on, Sensei. We can't keep Hokage-Sama waiting. The last one to his office will surely regret it."

Shichiro can't help his shocked expression when the Yamanaka boy then gives him a challenging look before taking off out of the practice grounds. The Jōnin simply stands there shocked briefly before snapping out of his daze and taking off in the direction of the Hokage's office, wondering for the second time that day why he had been placed with such a strange group of genin.

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"It's a simple escort mission." The Third informs them once they're standing before him. He's seated at his desk as he briefs them, "I know this is sudden, and you all are a freshly formed team, but I'm afraid we're short on helping hands at the moment. The mission is to escort a noble heiress, her brother, and their few guards back to their village, Yamigakure. Considering this is a noble you all will be dealing with, it's best to be on your guard. There's no telling how many enemies they harbor. So, keep a steady look out during your travels. Yamigakure is only a week or less away, depending on the speed with which you travel. Expect a warm welcome there, as they are our newest allies. I am expecting a positive report and for this mission to run smoothly."

"Of course, Hokage-Sama." Shichiro speaks up, making the Third nod slightly.

"Good then I shall introduce you all to your new companions for the next week or so." The older male says before the office doors open and several figures enter, "Team Shichiro, meet Aneko Tsukada, Toru Tsukada, and their royal guards."

Team Shichiro bows to the two nobles. When she straightens, Suzumi takes in the royalty before her with wide eyes. Aneko is short and curvy with a youthful face indicating that she couldn't be older than sixteen. Her skin is a smooth olive, and dark curls frame her face giving her a slightly intimidating appearance. But the golden flecks in her dark eyes and the warm smile on her red painted lips indicate otherwise. Suzumi felt slightly envious of the older girl's beauty and then there was the black kimono she wore adorned with golden flowers decorating the bottom, and a silken gold obi tied in the front.

Toru is of average height, appearing to be around the same age as Suzumi and her teammates. Similar to his sister, his skin is olive and his dark wavy hair hangs in his face slightly, but a friendly smile is on his lips as well. Unlike his sister, he's wearing an all-black shinobi attire that consists of a black turtle neck and black pants. His Yamigakure headband is present, titled slightly as it rests on his forehead. The two siblings are flanked with around five bodyguards, appearing like shadows with the way they seem almost unnoticeable.

"It is nice to meet you all." Aneko's voice resembles the silk on her obi with its smooth nature. She eyes the three genin and their Sensei with delight, "I am honored that you are willing to escort us."

"The honor is all ours." Daisuke speaks up suddenly, a Cheshire grin on his lips as he sticks out his hand proudly, "Daisuke Uchiha at your service."

Suzumi visibly facepalms at her teammate's behavior, Isamu knocks Daisuke's hand away from the heiress, Shichiro wishes for another genin team, the Third smiles in amusement, and Aneko _giggles_.

"How cute." The heiress comments making Daisuke squeal quietly in delight.

"She called me cute." He murmurs with a dreamy sigh as he fans himself dramatically making both Isamu and Suzumi roll their eyes at their teammate.

"Isamu Yamanaka, it is a pleasure to serve you Aneko-San, Toru-San." Isamu introduces quietly with a small bow, stepping back shyly afterwards. Suzumi smiles at her teammate's polite behavior.

"And you are?" A voice asks, and Suzumi looks over to find Toru staring intently at her. The Sadachi girl could feel her cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"S-Suzumi, Sadachi Suzumi." She introduces, cringing at the way she stammers slightly. Toru smiles at her, and the kunoichi could feel her blush intensify at the gesture.

"Shichiro Nara, and I believe we should leave today since it's still early. My team can go home and prepare, and meet you all at the gate within an hour." Shichiro says, returning everyone's attention to the task at hand: the mission.

"Very well, Team Shichiro, prepare for your mission. I will have Aneko and her party sent to the gates to meet you all within the hour." The Third informs them before placing his pipe in his mouth, signaling he had dismissed them.

"You heard Hokage-Sama, go home and prepare, and then meet at the gates in an hour." Shichiro tells his team who make various noises of agreement. Satisfied that they understood their orders, the Sensei disappears in a cloud of smoke. Once he's gone, the rest of their team make move to leave then. Isamu has to stop a seemingly lovestruck Daisuke from staring at Aneko. The Yamanaka pulls their Uchiha teammate from the room, and Suzumi shakes her head before following.

The kunoichi has just barely made it into the hallway when a hand reaches out and grasps hers gently. When Suzumi turns around, she's not expecting Toru to be standing there, staring at her hesitantly.

"I… forgive me, but you mentioned you were a member of the Sadachi clan?" He says, and the intensity in his gaze as he stares at her causes Suzumi's mind to go blank briefly. Toru frowns at this, concern evident on his face as he steps closer to her, their faces mere inches apart, "Are you okay?"

"Yes!" Suzumi assures, much too loudly for her liking. She manages to startle Toru, who jumps slightly before he grows amused, placing his hand over his heart with a small smile. Suzumi had never felt so embarrassed. The dark head girl swallows thickly, attempting to regain her composure enough to answer, "I mean, I am fine. Thank you for asking, Toru-San."

"Just Toru is fine." The boy in front of her insists, making Suzumi hesitate. Toru appears to notice her dilemma, "Ah, I see. You are uncomfortable with a lack of honorifics. Is that a Sadachi thing?"

When he peeks over at her with a polite smile, Suzumi starts to walk once more so she won't have to look at him in return. He falls into step with her almost immediately, and the kunoichi feels nervous from their close proximity. Toru's arm brushes against hers ever so subtly as they walk, and Suzumi feels as if she might faint any moment.

"Yes, my clan is very big on respect." She answers finally. The pair are nearing the doors to the outside, and she's expecting Toru to bid his goodbye. But surprisingly, he follows her outside where she's disappointed to find that Isamu and Daisuke are nowhere to be found.

"And the spirits as well?" Toru inquires suddenly, looking over at her once more, "I have heard a lot about your clan, even all the way in Yamigakure, an interesting clan that you are. And then, there is _you_."

Suzumi blinks in surprise, looking over to find Toru staring down at her, a small smile on his lips. Once again, the kunoichi is flustered by their close proximity as their faces are mere inches apart. From this close, she's sure the boy can see the blush burning her cheeks and painting them a flushed red.

"You'll have to forgive me if I stare, Suzumi-Chan." Toru murmurs, "You have features very delicate for a shinobi. Are all Sadachi kunoichi this _pretty_?"

And now, Suzumi is sure she will faint. Luckily that doesn't happen because a familiar, quiet voice speaks up, successfully garnering her attention.

"Sadachi-San"

Itachi is standing before the pair, face impassive as ever. He's staring at Suzumi, and it makes her frown briefly because she was sure he wouldn't go out of his way to speak to her without Shisui around. He must have found her tolerable or at least considered her an acquaintance. Or, Suzumi reminded herself, he was probably just being polite.

"Your injuries have subsided." Itachi notes, blinking blankly at her despite his observation.

"Ah, yes, Isamu's healing ointment works wonders. We call it miracle cream for that very reason." Suzumi informs him, smiling fondly at the mention of her teammate. That is before she realizes who she's talking to and quickly schools her expression into a polite expression, "I am fine now. Thank you, Itachi-San."

When he simply stares at her in response, Suzumi shifts uncomfortably. Unlike Shisui, Itachi was not every expressive so she found conversing with him to be slightly difficult. It wasn't that she minded his lack of speech, it was more so his staring that she found unnerving. It was like he could see right through her, and Suzumi didn't want anyone to have that kind of power over her.

"I'm afraid I must go now." Suzumi says, hating how nervous she sounded, "I have a mission to prepare for."

"Take care, Sadachi-San." Is Itachi's simple response before he proceeds to pass her. Suzumi frowns once he's disappeared from her view, the entire encounter puzzling her.

"Are all Uchiha like that?" Toru speaks up, reminding her of his presence. Suzumi is too busy pondering over their encounter, however, to answer. She found Shisui to be annoying but bearable, Sasuke reminded her greatly of Sayuri, but Itachi –

"No" She mumbles finally, not quite sure what to think of the raven-haired male.

Itachi Uchiha was an anomaly that Suzumi Sadachi was sure she'd never figure out.

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"And that's eleven!" Daisuke exclaims when Suzumi arrives at the gate later that morning. The Uchiha boy beams happily then as he proclaims, "Everyone's accounted for, let's get going- "

"Not so fast, Mr. Eager." Shichiro speaks up, adjusting the straps to his pack as he informs the younger, "You and Toru are taking the rear, Suzumi will remain in the middle with Aneko, two guards on each side, and then one in front with Isamu and I."

Daisuke grins widely as he goes to stand beside Toru. Suzumi adjust the pack on her own pack before moving to stand beside Aneko. Toru reaches for her arm then, giving her a disarming smile when she turns to look at him.

"I look forward to traveling with you, Suzumi-Chan." He tells her with a kind smile, "And possibly showing you that beauty of Yamigakure, though I'm afraid it pales in comparison to your own beauty."

Suzumi felt lightheaded, but she was sure it was because of how flushed her face became at the compliment. After all, she wasn't used to sure gestures or words for that matter.

"Oh please." Daisuke mumbles, but the kunoichi still hears him and sets a glare on him that makes him roll his eyes. Toru goes to speak with Shichiro briefly and the Uchiha boy uses that opportunity to speak, "Quit blushing like some damsel in distress, Sadachi. That guy is shady business."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Suzumi tells him, because Toru was sweet and kind. She hadn't sensed anything off about him despite his lack of knack for personal space. Surely, Daisuke was just saying things.

"Don't I?" Is Daisuke's reply that makes her frown. The Uchiha boy shrugs then, "I mean, think about it. Both of the siblings are more of a mystery to us than how I can be considered an Uchiha and how you made it through the academy with such poor Taijutsu."

Suzumi glares at her teammates lack of proper examples, making Daisuke raise his arms in surrender.

"We don't know them, Suzumi-Chan. We know what the mission scroll offered and whatever Hokage-Sama told us. Which is why, we shouldn't trust them so easily or let our guards down. Instead, our primary focus should be the mission." Daisuke tells her, returning to his position in the flank before she can reply, leaving behind a rather stunned Suzumi. She couldn't believe Daisuke had made so much sense. But then again, what reason had Toru given him to make the Uchiha so weary of him? Suzumi hadn't found Toru to be suspicious in the slightest.

"Are you okay, Suzumi?" Shichiro's voice garners her attention and she looks up to find him glancing back at her.

"Yes, Sensei." Suzumi answers almost immediately, getting into place beside Aneko who gives her a warm smile that she hesitantly returns.

"Then let us get underway." Shichiro says before leading the way, Isamu and a guard on either side of him. The group begin their journey then, and Suzumi grips her packs straps tightly as they disappear into the forest, Daisuke's words echoing in her mind.

' _Our primary focus should be the mission_.'

And he was right, Suzumi thought. She decides to push every last one of her thoughts aside, the one's of her encounter with Itachi, the one's of Daisuke's suspicion of Toru, and just focus on the task at hand: _the mission_. And she couldn't help but think, as she kept a steady pace with Aneko, that it was definitely going to be a long mission. But hopefully, it would be a safe one as well. However, in the world of shinobi, she knew that was too much to ask for.

Still, she could hope, _right_?

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	9. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

SHADOW THIEVES

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"Tell me more about your clan."

Suzumi looks over tiredly to find Toru falling into pace beside her. They had been traveling for four days now, and they were nearing Yamigakure rapidly. Surprisingly, for his seemingly sluggish aura, Shichiro wasn't very fond of breaks or resting for too long. He seemed to want to get to Yamigakure and back. Of course, he made sure the heiress, Aneko, was able to keep up with the many shinobi surrounding her. And she was, something Suzumi pegged down to having to often travel often with Toru and other shinobi as well.

"We are a very private clan." Suzumi states hesitantly. It's not that she didn't trust Toru, it was simply the fact that they _were_ a private clan. They didn't like to discuss their relationships with the spirits, in fear of betraying what they deemed a sacred bond that they had with them.

"I understand that." Toru tells her with a smile that makes Suzumi quickly look away, cheeks tinged pink and heart beating more rapidly than before, "I simply am intrigued by your techniques. The idea of raising a spirit is very interesting, to say the least. Yamigakure is the land of the shadows. Darkness is like a second nature to us in the land of assassins. And your clan masters in some very … _dark_ techniques if I must say so myself. So, as you can imagine, your clan is quite popular where I am from, albeit the mystery surrounding you all. And well, here I am with an actual Sadachi, so you must understand my eagerness regarding you."

' _Oh_ ' Suzumi thought. It made sense, she supposed. People outside of Konoha knew less about Sadachi matters than actual Konoha shinobi. It was only right for Toru to be curious, she figured. She felt bad for being so defensive towards the Yamigakure nin.

"Oh _please_ -" An indecorous voice speaks up followed by a scoff before Daisuke appears behind them, completely disregarding his position in the rear (and endangering them all, Suzumi noted wearily), "If you're really concerned about mysterious, popular clans then I'm your guy. The Uchiha _are_ the definition of power shrouded by mystery. And I, Daisuke Uchiha, am a very proud, established member of said clan."

"Define established." Suzumi mumbles sarcastically, though Daisuke hears and glares at her. The kunoichi simply gives him a sheepish grin in response while Toru smiles at the interaction.

"Ah, yes, I am aware that the Uchiha are a very prestigious clan." He says, making Daisuke nod and beam proudly, "But, I am afraid the Sadachi interests me more in this very moment."

And with that said, Daisuke Uchiha visibly deflates. Suzumi giggles at the pout on the Uchiha boy's lips as he trudges along. Aneko is watching them now as well, an amused smile on her face at the sight.

"Sorry Uchiha-San." Toru adds, giving Daisuke a polite smile that makes the Uchiha boy roll his eyes before he falls back into the rear once more. With Toru's eyes on her once more, Suzumi hesitates. She didn't really feel comfortable discussing the matters of her clan with others, especially anyone outside of Konoha at that. But Toru seemed harmless, and genuinely intrigued. It couldn't hurt to just give him the basics, _right_?  
"As you know, my clan has relationships with the spirits. They are our guides for even the most basic essentials such as eating and sleeping. The spirits are our best friends, our guardians, our first teammates, and even our torturers at times." She starts, voice steady as she speaks to the boy beside her. Aneko glances over at them curiously briefly, but Suzumi chooses to ignore the action.

"What happens when you displease the spirits?" Toru inquires, tilting his head curiously in a manner that Suzumi really shouldn't find _cute_.

"It depends on the manner in which you displease them." Answers Suzumi honestly. After all, she had been there before, "If it is in battle, then you must prove your worth against the toughest of spirits in the Sadachi compound. If you are gluttonous and eat more than necessary, you must fast and repay back the amount in which you ate. If you do not visit the spirits in the temple each month, then your own spirit will become displeased and deem you disobedient and unworthy."

"What happens then?" Toru asks, and even Daisuke is staring at them curiously from his position in the rear. Suzumi ducks her head, feeling a certain numbness encase her.

"You become spiritless." She reveals finally. As a Sadachi, it was one of her greatest fears. And at one point, she had thought she would end up as one of the spiritless. Her spirit had taken longer than usual to warm up to her, and her father had been worried it was because the spirit had deemed her unworthy. But, much to both his and Suzumi's relief, the spirit had awakened and come to tolerate her. During that time, their worry had been immense. A Sadachi without a spirit was quickly disregarded, deemed useless, cast aside, and never seen or heard from again.

"Ah, I see." Toru murmurs thoughtfully, allowing his eyes to roam to the path before them as he wonders aloud, "And what is a Sadachi without it's spirit?"

"Worthless" Suzumi mumbles, eyes downcast.

Sensing her tone, Toru remains quiet. Silence envelopes them then, in which Suzumi feels the familiar anxiety fill her whenever she thought of her clan. It was difficult being the clan leader's daughter. Sadao had ingrained it in her mind from a very early age to fear failure. And now, the slightest thought of it sent Suzumi's nerves into overdrive. It was both a blessing and curse. It gave her the determination to become a successful shinobi, but it also made her willing to destroy her mind and body in the process: a personal, internal curse for the Sadachi.

Suzumi shivers at the mere thought of it. And in attempt to rid her mind of such anxiety inducing thoughts, she glances over at Toru to find him already staring at her. But it is the manner in which his eyes roam over her that makes the kunoichi's heartrate speed up slightly. He seemed to be searching her face for something, eyes sweeping across her cheeks down to her neck.

"Are you looking for my markings?" Suzumi asks finally, ignoring the flush burning her skin and making her feel lightheaded. The kunoichi must resist the urge to giggle when Toru's eyes widen at being caught and he coughs awkwardly, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Ah, yes." He admits quietly making the dark-haired girl smile at the faint blush covering his cheeks.

"It just so happens that I am one of the rare Sadachi born with markings not on their face." Suzumi admits proudly then. Her father had been frightened and panicked upon discovering that she didn't have the typical Sadachi clan markings. He had thought Suzumi to be cursed, and was afraid of what would have to be done in the case that the newborn was. But after many trips to the temple with an infant Suzumi, the spirits had assured him that though it was an uncommon case, Suzumi was still very much a Sadachi. When it came time to explain her spirit to a four-year-old Suzumi, Sadao had informed her that she had a rare type of spirit, one that was easy to displease and hard to satisfy.

" _It just means you have to work harder, Suzumi. But the power that you will reap after all of your hard work will be immense. So, do not give up, as you could be the savior to earn the Sadachi a foothold in the shinobi world once more_." Sadao had told her one day.

Suzumi smiles at the memory. Back then, her father had been more encouraging and less menacing. Sadao hadn't always been such a cold, calculating man. He had once been reasonable and kind. But after Sayuri's birth he became bitter and somewhat aloof. He claimed the world was against him. But Suzumi wanted to remind him that she would always be by his side. However, she was too afraid to even speak much in his presence anymore. It was sad and pathetic, but often times, Suzumi had to wonder what part of her life wasn't sad and pathetic.

"You're special, aren't you?" Toru's voice returns her to the reality at hand. He's smiling at her in a way that makes Suzumi's heart feel warm. Her spirit seems to sense her happiness as well, and a slight swelling occurs in her chest. The dark-haired girl places her closed fist atop her chest, right where she knows her markings are glowing despite their dark state.

"Here, this is where my markings lie." She admits with a soft smile. There was something about Toru that had already garnered her trust and allowed to warm up to him rather quickly.

"Isn't that a compromising position?" The Yamigakure nin inquires with a curious frown, "Does your spirit not get disgruntled a lot in such a place?"

"My spirit mostly lies at rest, until it sees fit to become completely active." Suzumi answers, feeling her smile brighten at his genuine concern. She could hear Daisuke scoff in the background, but ignores the Uchiha boy in favor of conversing with Toru.

"In what kind of case would your spirit awaken?"

"Say I was low on chakra in a last man standing situation. My spirit would sense my desperation and take over. It would most likely use the rest of my chakra in attempt to save me." She explains, narrowly avoiding tripping over a rather large branch. Toru grabs her arm to help straighten her, and Suzumi could feel herself grow lightheaded once more as she stared into the gold flecks mixed into his dark irises.

"And if your spirit is killed when active?" He questions then, grip on her arm steady as he guides her along. Suzumi feels as if she is trapped in a daze, enraptured by Toru's disarming smiles and frozen by the crippling fear that came with such thoughts. So, the words die in her throat, but the thought runs dangerously through her mind.

' _If my spirit dies, then so will I_.'

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Sayuri is bored.

Usually, when she came to town, she was unable to contain her excitement. However, that was when came with her older sister. Suzumi allowed her the freedom to explore many shops and whenever Sayuri would run off, her older sister would never scold her too much. Sayuri could try many treats and see many different things. That is, when she came to town with her sister.

Now, Sayuri was in town with a fellow clansman, Saburo Sadachi. Saburo was just like any other male Sadachi: tall and thin, with his dark hair pulled into a braid that hung down his back, and serious beyond measures. Though he had a seemingly kind face, Saburo took his clans traditions to heart, and was closed off in sense. He had been sent into town to run errands for their clan, and surprisingly, had allowed Sayuri to tag along (after much begging on the younger girl's part, that is). But unlike Suzumi, Saburo kept a steady eye on Sayuri and would scold her if she even appeared to simply be thinking of running off. Needless to say, Sayuri was disgruntled and even more actively looking for a possible escape.

"Stay put." Saburo tells her suddenly, "I am going to speak with the fruit vendor, and I expect you to still be standing here when I get back."

"Of course!" Sayuri exclaims, giving the elder an assuring smile as she holds up her pinky and claims, "I promise!"

Saburo stares at her hesitantly before he sighs and heads towards the fruit vendor. Sayuri watches him go in the crowded market before glancing around quickly, and promptly taking off. Her dark pigtails bounce with each step the six-year-old takes. She hurries out of the market, nearly bumping into several people on the way out.

"Excuse me! Sorry!" The small Sadachi girl apologizes as she pushes her way through the crowd. Her eyes widen as she nearly runs into a rather large watermelon two men are lugging along. Sayuri ducks last minute, sliding under the watermelon rather gracefully before rising to her feet on the other side, unscathed. The two men holding the watermelon stare after in both surprise and awe. Sayuri shoots them a wide grin over her shoulder. But unfortunately, because she isn't watching where she's going, she crashes into a solid form that sends her tumbling down. And she would have hit the ground, if not for a pair of strong hands that hold her up with a firm grip on her shoulders.

"Run off in search of dango again, tiny Sadachi?" The teasing voice is a pleasant sound to Sayuri who smiles widely when she looks up to find a grinning Shisui, a blank faced Itachi, and a curious looking Sasuke standing before her.

"Sasuke!" Sayuri exclaims then, hurrying forward and pulling her friend into a hug. The Uchiha boy doesn't even have time to react, cheeks a faint red hue as the Sadachi girl embraces him.

"How cute." Shisui comments, snickering at the sight before he mumbles, "At least one Sadachi has warmed up to us."

"Sayuri, where have you run off from?" Itachi asks, attempting to make his voice as soft as possible as not to frighten the small girl.

"Just the fruit stands." Sayuri answers, twisting her fingers anxiously when the Uchiha males glance over in the direction of said stands.

"That's not very far." Shisui comments, reaching out a hand for the dark-haired girl, "Come, we will return you to your fellow clansmen."

Though the last thing she wanted to do was return to Saburo's side (surely, he would scold her beyond measures), Sayuri hesitantly makes her way towards the older male. However, it's Sasuke who seems to have other plans. The youngest Uchiha grabs Sayuri's hand suddenly, and pulls her along.

"Come on! Run Sayuri-Chan!" Sasuke exclaims, making the Sadachi girl's eyes widen as they take off into the crowded town.

"Get back here brats!" Shisui calls despite the amusement he felt watching the pair flee. He turns to his best friend then with a small grin, "Well Itachi, it looks like we can add babysitting to our list of tasks for the day."

"It appears so." Itachi replies quietly, the faintest hint of a smirk on his lips. He was used to his brother's behavior, but the youngest Sadachi had surely managed to catch him off guard.

"Shall we?" Shisui prompts with a smirk of his own, and he's rewarded with a slight nod from Itachi before the other male disappears in a mere flicker.

' _Hm, what's this? Itachi willing to participate in a little fun? How strange_.' Shisui thinks before taking off down the nearest alleyway. The Uchiha male jumps and scales the wall, landing atop the nearest building. He makes his way towards the edge, smirking when he spots Sasuke pulling Sayuri along through the town.

' _Let's see how you fare in a little game of chase, tiny Sadachi._ '

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"I don't trust them." Daisuke tells Isamu.

For the first time in their travels that day, Shichiro was allowing them to rest. They are doing so near a river. Shichiro is resting against a tree, eyes closed though he was more than alert. Aneko was being fanned by her guards while she helped herself to water from a canister. Suzumi and Toru were nowhere to be found. And Daisuke and Isamu were seated on nearby tree stumps.

"Me either. What kind of Nara doesn't like to rest?" Isamu complains, shooting a weary look at Shichiro, "It feels like we've been traveling nonstop. I'm so sleepy. I thought that fox we saw back there was a cat."

"What- "Daisuke mumbles in confusion before he follow's his teammates line of sight and promptly clarifies, "No! Not Shichiro Sensei!"

The Uchiha boy can't help but giggle at his teammate's clueless expression. Isamu is rubbing tiredly at his eyes, staring at Daisuke in pure confusion.

"Then who?" The Yamanaka boy inquires, head tilted curiously.

"Oh Isamu" Is Daisuke's amused response as he reaches over to ruffle the other boy's bangs. Isamu scrunches his face at the action, scrambling to fix his hair. A serious expression appears on Daisuke's face then as he elaborates, "It's not Shichiro Sensei, but our wonderful company that I am weary of. Tell me, what do you know of Yamigakure?"

"Not much." Isamu replies, seemingly giving up on fixing his disheveled hair to get more comfortable on his tree stump. He looks to his teammate then, "They're pretty mysterious, aren't they?"

"Exactly, but I wouldn't be expecting anything less from the land of darkness and assassins." Daisuke tells his teammate, lowering his voice to add, "And I trust them as much as I trust Shichiro Sensei not to ditch us during training to go take a nap in the Nara Forest."

"But they are really friendly, Daisuke-Kun." Isamu replies, glancing in the direction of Aneko to find her already staring at them. Daisuke gives her a Cheshire grin and winks at her, making the heiress giggle and quickly look away, face flushed.

"Friendly and trustworthy are often equated too much, Isamu. Even the friendliest shinobi can be the deadliest killer. Which is why friendliness is as much of a tool as the kunai they will use to stab you in the back with." The Uchiha boy claims then making Isamu raise a brow in question.

"So, you're saying they're untrustworthy?"

"I'm _saying_ something is off." Daisuke states, the unease in his tone making Isamu frown, "And it's up to us to get to the bottom of it."

"What do you suppose we should do?" The Yamanaka boy asks, attempting to hide his worry. Though Daisuke was quite playful, he was perceptive beyond measures. If he said something was off, then Isamu would believe him without question.

"First, we have to find Suzumi-Chan and separate her from that Toru guy. He's much too curious about the Sadachi clan for it to be begged down to mere admiration and flattery." His raven-haired teammate speaks up, already standing from his tree stump. Isamu follows suit, stretching briefly before the two wander off in search of their female teammate. They follow her chakra signature further down the river. It leads them just minutes away from their actual rest stop.

Both Isamu and Daisuke frown at the sight of Suzumi and Toru seated near the edge of the river, conversing quietly.

"Oh Suzumi-Chan!" Daisuke calls out, forcing a grin on his lips. The dark-haired girl sighs before turning around to look at her two teammates. Daisuke then promptly elbows Isamu in the stomach, wrapping an arm around the Yamanaka boy when he grunts and doubles over in pain, "Isamu isn't feeling well. Think you can take care of him while I fill his canteen?"

Almost immediately, Suzumi jumps to her feet and hurries towards her teammates.

"Oh no, Isamu, what's wrong?" The kunoichi inquires, worry etched onto her features as she wraps her arms around the blond when Daisuke removes his.

"My stomach" Isamu groans, glaring at Daisuke briefly from under his bangs before assuming a pained expression once more.

"Come on, let's go back to the others so I can get a better look." Suzumi tells her teammate, helping Isamu along as they head back in the opposite direction. Daisuke watches them go with a pleased look. His simple plan had worked. Or so he thought. Laughter greet his ears then, unemotional, chilling, and belonging to Toru.

"Jealous Uchiha?" The dark-haired boy inquires with a smirk, head cocked in a way that makes Daisuke grit his teeth. The other boy truly rubbed him the wrong way.

"Not in the slightest." Daisuke tells him, stepping closer to the Yamkigaure nin, "You may have Suzumi-Chan fooled, but I see right through you, Toru-San, if that is even your real name."

Toru chuckles once more at this.

"It is." He assures, moving forward as well until the two boys are standing just before each other, "And you will do your best to remember it. Though, I'm not too worried about that. Your female companion seems to have that covered already."

And with that, Toru walks off, shoulder bumping against Daisuke's none too gently. The Uchiha boy has to resist the urge to attack the other boy. Instead, he takes a deep breath and attempts the breathing exercises Isamu taught him to calm his flaring tempter. So, something really was off with Toru and he had just gotten a firsthand confirmation. Now, it was only a matter of what to do with the information. Daisuke decides it's best to tell Shichiro as quickly as possible.

However, he's so caught up in his thoughts that he doesn't notice a dark mist creeping up his legs until it's much too late. Daisuke attempts to scream, but the sound is abruptly cut off as the essence envelopes him into a world of _darkness_.

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"Come out, come out wherever you are Sayuri-Chan." Shisui calls as he walks further down a rather dark alleyway.

He and Itachi had managed to separate the two children, with Itachi chasing down his brother and Shisui after Sayuri. Now, he had managed to chase her into an alleyway, where he planned on ending their game of chase once and for all. Movement from behind a trashcan catches his attention, making him smirk. He found her.

But before he could even approach the trash can, the dark-haired girl comes running out from behind it. It seemed she planned on trying to run past him as fast as she could.

' _Better luck next time, tiny Sadachi_.' Shisui thinks as he reaches out when the dark-haired girl comes close enough.

What he's not expecting is for the lavender markings curled around Sayuri's ear to glow before an essence extends from the markings in the form of a hand. Shisui can only so much as blink before the hand grabs him by the front of his shirt and tosses him aside. He lands on his back in a pile of trash, blinking up at the sun peeking through the alleyway in surprise.

' _D-Did she just…?_ ' He wonders, but his thoughts are cut short when Sayuri's loud giggling greets his ears.

"Catch me if you can, Shisui-San!" The small girl calls out as she disappears down the alley making the Uchiha male shake his head despite the amused grin on his lips. Sayuri was definitely different for a Sadachi.

' _Is that why you are so fond of your sister, little Sadachi?_ ' Shisui allows his mind to wonder to Suzumi briefly. Her relationship with Sayuri greatly reminded him of-

"One down, one to go." Itachi's voice breaks him from his thoughts. Shisui looks over to find the long-haired raven boy holding a pouting Sasuke up by the back of his shirt.

"You won't catch Sayuri, Nii-San. She's too fast, even for me!" Sasuke claims, seemingly both proud of his friend and disgruntled at the fact.

"Hm, we'll see about that." Is all Itachi says as he places his brother down and disappears in a flicker before the younger can protest. If Shisui didn't know any better, he'd think Itachi was enjoying himself.

"is … Is Nii-San have fun?" Sasuke inquires suddenly, wide eyes making Shisui chuckle.

"It seems so." He replies, watching as Sasuke looked torn between confusion and disbelief. Shisui found the fact to be strange as well. But he simply places his hands behinds his head and rests his head on them. He'd let Itachi go after Sayuri. It was rare for other Uchiha boy to allow himself to enjoy much of anything. So Shisui would let him have his fun, even it was just for a day.

' _Maybe … Just maybe… You all aren't so bad, are you, little Sadachi?_ '

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"Okay, now tell me where it hurts." Suzumi prompts gently as she helps Isamu into a sitting position. They're back at the original resting area. Aneko is speaking quietly with her guards, and Shichiro appears to have fallen asleep against the tree.

"Nowhere" Isamu tells her, making Suzumi frown. The Yamanaka boy glances around the site quickly before turning to her with desperate eyes, "Suzumi-Chan, Toru isn't who you think he is. He- "

Isamu's words fall on deaf ears. Suzumi's hearing fails her, making her squint at her teammate as she struggles to read his lips. Instead of words, silence was all the kunoichi could seem to hear.

' _What is happening?_ ' She wonders worriedly, panic consuming her as she watches a dark midst spread over the area surrounding them. It covers Isamu's entire body, the Yamanaka boy's eyes wide as he struggles against it. However, when Suzumi reaches out to help, the mist pulls her teammate back before he completely disappears into the darkness.

The Sadachi girl's eyes widen as she jumps to her feet, eyes scanning the area rapidly. But it was fruitless, there was nothing but darkness.

' _W-What is this?_ ' Suzumi questions. Perhaps genjutu? But the she realized the technique should have been the least of her concern. ' _I have to find the others!_ '

The kunoichi scrambles her way through the darkness, reaching out blindly. Her heart is beating rapidly in her chest, mind scrambled with panic. She was worried about her teammates, her Sensei, and Aneko and Toru as well. It shocked her just how fast their mission took a turn. But she needed to be calm, Suzumi reminded herself. Everyone needed her now.

The dark-haired girl stumbles slightly when her hands meet a solid surface. A pair of cool hands grab hers, making her struggle briefly.

"Relax, Suzumi-Chan. It's just me." Toru's assuring voice greets her ears before he steps forward from the darkness, smiling disarmingly.

"T-Toru-" Suzumi starts hesitantly because unlike the other occasions, she found his smile to be slightly suspicious this time around. That, and he didn't seem to be as panicked as she was given their situation, "W-What is this?"

" _This_ -" Toru starts, the sudden maniacal smile on his lips making Suzumi attempt to jump back. But he simply pulls her closer once more, "-Is genjutsu, sweet Suzumi. It's my own personal specialty. I call it the _Heart of Darkness_ for there is no way out."

Suzumi watches in poorly hidden disbelief as he laughs rather loudly in her face.

' _Daisuke was right!_ ' She thought, mind racing for an escape plan, ' _He's insane!_ '

"Why are you doing this?" She demands, struggling against his hold. But he was stronger than her, and the mist surrounding them seemed to be draining her chakra, causing her to grow weaker by the second, "W-What do you want from us?"

Toru's laughter ceases almost immediately, and he stares at her with such an intensity that it makes Suzumi shiver. In that same moment, Aneko appears, flanked by her bodyguards who are all staring at her rather intensely as well. They were unscathed and unshaken, which lead Suzumi to a quick conclusion: they were in on it as well.

"Isn't it obvious?" Toru retorts, a devious smirk on his lips as he stares at Suzumi, "I'm already staring at it."

The briefest hint of movement catches Suzumi's attention and she looks down much too late to find Toru drawing out a kunai. And then, ever so slowly, he points it at her chest, directly where her markings lay.

"Let's have a little fun, shall we Suzumi _Sadachi_?"

And that's when she realized that if she didn't find a way out of her current situation, Suzumi was going _to die_.

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Itachi Uchiha stares at Sayuri Sadachi with the faintest hint of a smile. The six-year-old girl was staring at the ramen shop before her with wide eyes. It seemed she gave up on their little game of chase. Perhaps because she was hungry. The prospect made him approach her, bending down to her level with the kindest look he could muster.

"Do you want ramen, Sayuri-Chan?" He asks, similar to how he would with his younger brother. But surprisingly, Sayuri shakes her head no rather quickly.

"No, that's okay. I'm not hungry-" She attempts to assure, only for her stomach to growl rather loudly mere seconds later. Itachi stares at dark haired girl patiently then. Sayuri hesitates, cheeks flushed before she murmurs so quietly he almost misses it, "Father will be very angry if I accept another meal from the Uchiha."

And there it was, Itachi thought. He disdained how someone as small as Sayuri was being pulled into such typical clan matters. She was a sweet child, and she greatly reminded him of Sasuke at times. He didn't want her to be sad, in that case. He wanted her to enjoy her childhood, as he surely hadn't been able to enjoy his properly.

"How about we keep it a secret then?" He suggests, watching as her eyes light up with excitement.

"Okay! I'm good at keeping secrets, Itachi-San, I promise!" She exclaims eagerly, making him smile. Just like any other child, she was easy to please and convince. He watches as her excitement dies down and she appears to grow shy, peering up at him hesitantly as she twists her fingers, "Uhm, can Sasuke and Shisui-San eat with us as well?"

"Of course." Itachi replies almost immediately causing the Sadachi girl to cheer loudly. In that same moment, Shisui and Sasuke come headed in their direction.

"Sasuke, guess what? Itachi is going to buy us ramen!" Sayuri exclaims, hurriedly making her way towards the youngest Uchiha. Itachi watches in amusement as the Sadachi girl pulls his little brother along, joyful smiles on their faces as they hurry into the ramen shop.

"Having fun playing the cool older brother, Itachi?" Shisui teases, pulling a banana peel from his shirt, "You know, the role really suits you: buying Sasuke and the tiny Sadachi ramen, playing chase with them-"

"Shisui" Itachi warns, but of course his best friend ignores him.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were practicing for when you become Sayuri-Chan's brother in law." Shisui says, wiggling his eyebrows in a manner that makes Itachi roll his eyes before he breezes past the elder. Shisui grins, calling after the younger in amusement, "I see right through you, Itachi Uchiha!"

And he really couldn't wait to tease both Itachi and Suzumi, whenever she returned home from her mission, that is. Shisui allows his eyes to gravitate towards Konoha's gates then, the sun setting low beyond its borders. His mind wonders to Suzumi once more, a small smile gracing his lips.

' _Get home safely, little Sadachi_.' He thinks briefly before turning and entering the ramen shop as well.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Thank you for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows on "Sacrilege" so far! I really appreciate them all!


	10. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THROUGH THE DARK

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The darkness was stagnant. There was a certain tension that hung in the air, awaiting the slightest spark to catch fire. And there was something about it all that made Suzumi's heart beat rapidly in her chest. There were the eyes of Aneko and her guards, lifeless and dull. Then there was Toru standing directly before her, a maniacal grin on his lips and a kunai aimed at her heart. And then there was Suzumi herself, breathing shaky and mind scrambling for something, _anything_ to get her out of her current situation.

"Isn't it obvious?" Toru's voice breaks her from her thoughts, and she winces as she looks into his eyes, alight with delight at her impending doom, the eyes of a _maniac_. "You Sadachi possess such a unique ability. Of course your connection with darkness' only companion would arise our interest. Don't you see what kind of weapon you could be for Yamigakure?"

Suzumi could feel her eyes widen at this.

' _For Yamigakure_?' She couldn't believe it. Was Toru just a miniscule detail to much bigger ploy? Perhaps Yamigakure's sudden desire to be allies with Konoha was a ruse after all. The village of darkness was known for its sly, underhanded ways after all. And now, both Toru and their intentions were crystal clear: they wanted a Sadachi. But why? For a weapon? Suzumi decided then and there she would die with the rest of her clan's secrets if needed, before she ever became subject to a life as a weapon for anyone but Konoha.

"So, it would be wise for you to surrender now, Sadachi." Toru continues, the sharp edge of his kunai pressing intently against the kunoichi's chest, "Before things get uglier than they already are."

Silence hangs over them then, in which Suzumi struggles to remain upright. The darkness surrounding them had drained a good amount of her chakra, and now she was beginning to feel fatigued. A smirk graces Toru's lips at the slight shaking of her knees. The dark haired kunoichi clenches her jaw at this, wanting nothing more than to wipe the expression from his face. She didn't have enough strength to take him out on her own. And even if she did, how was she going to take out the guards as well afterwards? Aneko was of no concern to her as a civilian, but as of now, it was six shinobi against one kunoichi. The odds didn't appear to be in her favor, but Suzumi would try to beat them nonetheless. After all, it wasn't just her life that hung in the balance.

' _I'm letting you take over_.' She thinks, mind wandering to her team, ' _Shichiro Sensei, Daisuke, and Isamu are counting on us, on_ _ **you**_ _. We can't let them down_.'

Toru's smirks in satisfaction when Suzumi lowers her head in defeat.

"I'm glad you see it my way, as it should be." He tells her, lowering his weapon slowly. The Yamigakure nin straightens his stance then, eyes still trained on the girl before him. Suzumi is expecting him to lower his weapon completely, seeing as she so easily conceded her surrender. But her eyes widen in surprise when he suddenly lunges the kunai in her chest. Toru laughs loudly at her shocked expression. "I'm afraid I forgot to mention this earlier, but you are much more valuable to me in death than alive, sweet Suzumi."

Suzumi's hands grip the kunai weakly. Her head is ducked, dark bangs sheathing her face. Toru watches with a smirk as her chest jerks briefly. He was expecting to meet her spirit any minute now, as it had been his plan from the very start. The Yamigakure nin removes his hands from the edge of the kunai then to prepare a nice welcome for the spirit. He watches Suzumi fall to her knees, head still hung low as she wavers slightly before falling completely. Toru frowns in confusion when instead of a spirit, he's instead met with nothing.

' _Her chakra is drained and yet there is no spirit_.' The wavy haired male notes wearily. In his frustration, he kicks at Suzumi in attempt to rouse her spirit. Which is why, he's completely caught off guard when a series of black coils wrap around his wrists. ' _W-What the hell are these_?!'

He just barely has a chance to look at them before he feels himself being pulled along with surprising speed and strength. The force brings him to his knees in the darkness. Toru grunts as he feels his knees scrape beneath his pants at the sheer force. The Yamigakure nin grits his teeth, looking up only to blink in shock. Standing before him was Suzumi, or rather a black essence that greatly resembled the Sadachi girl: _her spirit_. And it was _enraged_ , if the angry narrowing of its eyes and the intensity with which it stared at him were any indication.

"Ah, just who I've been looking for." Toru says, smirking at the spirit's presence. All he had to do was tame the spirit, and then all of the Sadachi's secrets would be as good as his. Or so he thought. The chains connected to his wrists are seemingly controlled by the spirit. It merely cocks its head to the side and Toru can only so much as blink before more chains shoot out and wrap around his body. The Yamigakure nin struggles against their hold but it proves fruitless – despite their wispy state, the chains were very much solid and firm.

' _Dammit_!' Toru begins to panic. Perhaps he had underestimated the Sadachi kunoichi. In comparison to her teammates she was somewhat frail and delicate looking. It didn't help that she had warmed up to him rather quickly. He had taken one look at her and deemed her the weakest link. And like with any other prey, he had leaped at the opportunity to pounce at her. But it seemed taming a Sadachi's spirit would be more difficult than he thought as apparently the spirit was much stronger than its human owner.

The wavy-haired male begins to struggle against the chains once more, but they seem to grow tighter at the action. A wince escapes his lips as they squeeze his ribcage. He's so caught up in his struggle that he doesn't notice the hand signs done by the Suzumi clone or the ball of golden essence until it has appeared directly before his face. It casts a gold illumination in the darkness, bathing his face in light.

"Wha-" He starts only to be abruptly cut short when he feels both his mouth and eyes being forced open. The Yamigakure nin can only watch with wide eyes as a powerful suctioning feeling occurs. The golden orb was consuming his chakra, and at a very rapid pace as well. That, combined with the intense squeezing of the spirit chains take an immediate toll on him. Keeping up his genjutsu in such a state was much too exhausting. His chakra was dwindling along with his strength. So, Toru could only watch tiredly as the golden orb seemed satisfied as it drained the last of his chakra. He blinks blearily as his genjutsu is broken and the darkness surrounding them dispels.

And then, the golden orb begins to shake erratically.

' _Forgive me, Yamigakure, for I have failed you_." Toru's thoughts are but a distant echo in his mind. The Yamigakure nin blinks slowly, for a final time before the orb _explodes_. What follows is a downpour of gold essence and muddled spirits chains. A burnt hole is left in the forest floor where Toru once stood and a small distance away is the unconscious body of the Yamigakure nin.

The disposal of Toru appears to snap both Aneko and her guards out of their trance. The Suzumi clone braces itself at they charge at her. Several kunai are sent flying her way and the clone pulls out a spirit kunai, prepared to deflect them. However, it only manages to deflect the first two, before three figures appear on both either of her to deflect the other three. The Suzumi clone quirks it's lips at the sight before her.

"Sorry we're a little late to the party, Suzumi-Chan. Things kind of took a _dark_ turn." Daisuke says, an amused grin on his face despite the haggard set to his appearance. The Uchiha boy pouts when Isamu rolls his eyes, Shichiro blinks, and the Suzumi clone remains blank faced at his words. "Oh, come on, you've got to admit that was really clever!"

"Why don't you save the comedy act for later, when we're not surrounded by psychotic psychopaths?" Shichiro tells his student, eyes focused on the Yamigakure shinobi before them, "Daisuke, take the guy on the far left. Isamu, dispose of the guy on the far right. I'll handle the three in the middle. And Suzumi, capture the heiress, she's going to make a run for it any minute now."

The Suzumi clone nods quickly, focus already zeroing in on the heiress. Aneko was watching the scene before her with stoic eyes. However, the subtle backing away she did was unmissable to the shinobi eye. The Suzumi clone smirks at the sight before rushing towards her. Aneko's eyes widen at the sight of the Konoha kunoichi narrowing in on her. The Yamigakure heiress can only let out small noise of surprise before the clone holds out its hand and a dark, wispy chain shoots out and wraps around her torso.

The heiress lets out a shriek of surprise, immediately struggling against the chains. However, her struggle only causes her to lose her balance and one tug from the Suzumi clone sends her tumbling to the forest floor. Aneko continues to struggle fruitlessly, making the Suzumi clone smirk. With the heiress taken care of, the clone turns around and searches for its original body. Suzumi's chakra was dangerously low, and now that things had turned in the favor of Team Shichiro, the clone saw it fit to return as quickly as possible. The original Suzumi is slowly rising from the ground a small distance away, pushing from the forest floor with one hand and holding the kunai removed from her chest in the other, arms shaking in the process. The spirit clone is appeased by the sight, until it notices the figure descending upon the original Suzumi with a kunai in hand. The clone doesn't waste any time in rushing over to aid it's original, but by then, it was already _too late_.

A pained shout silences the fighting amongst them. Blood splatters, staining the forest floor in a fine line of crimson. And everyone watches with wide eyes, as one of Aneko's bodyguards stands over the small girl. Suzumi falls forward with lifeless eyes, revealing the extensive laceration adorning her back, starting from her shoulder and descending across her back to just above her hip. Isamu and Daisuke's eyes widen at the sight of their fallen teammate, while Shichiro acts. The Sensei disappears in a mere flicker, and in the blink of an eye he appears behind the culprit, a kunai pressed to the man's neck that he abruptly slits.

Isamu and Daisuke receive his implied instructions to take down the rest of the enemy. In such a short amount of time, they had managed to dispose of three of the Yamigakure bodyguards. And now, two remained, awaiting attacks from the two genin. Daisuke decides to take matters into his own hands, the worry for his teammate railing his nerves into overdrive.

' _I haven't perfected this yet, but now is as best a time as any to give it one last try_.' He thinks as he begins to form a familiar set of hand signs. The Uchiha boy hopes for the best as he opens his mouth, feeling the chakra in his body well up before expelling from his open mouth in the form of a massive orb of roaring flame that heads straight for the enemy nin. The Yamigakure nin appear unprepared for such an attack, clearly not expecting such a jutsu from a genin. They scramble out of the way to no effect; their shouts of surprise being drowned out by the roaring flame as it descends upon them.

' _No way_ ' Isamu stares at his teammate in shock briefly. He watches as Daisuke immediately turns and rushes towards where Shichiro is attempting to stop the profuse bleeding from his students wound. Without second thought, Daisuke removes his Uchiha clan jacket and places it on his teammates back, pressing down gently in effort to hinder the bleeding. Even Shichiro appears caught off guard by the Uchiha boy's behavior, but quickly masks it with a hard expression.

"This is the best we can do for her, for now. The Sadachi only entrust their clansmen with their own healers, so our best bet is to head to Konoha immediately. Isamu take the front, Daisuke will take the middle with Suzumi, and I'll handle the rear." He instructs, earning a quick nod from the two boys. Isamu watches anxiously as Shichiro helps place an unconscious Suzumi into Daisuke's awaiting arms, careful not to disturb her wound too much. The Yamanaka boy then glances at the scenery around them, Aneko who's lying lifelessly on the ground, having passed out from her struggle with the spirit chains, Toru's unconscious body, and the various deceased bodyguards. And he wonders, how such a seemingly moderate mission took such a sharp turn, and, as he glances at Suzumi who's lifeless in Daisuke's arm, if he was really going to lose his teammate to this façade of a mission.

' _No_ -' Isamu shakes his head, not wasting anymore time as he takes off into the woods, Daisuke and Shichiro right behind him. He glances back quickly to find Daisuke looking down at Suzumi's closed eyes and pale face with a frown. ' _Hang in there Suzumi-Chan. We won't lose you, not on my watch_.'

With that in mind, the Yamanaka boy pushes from the ground into the trees with sudden speed. And, along with the rest of his team and their teammate whose life hung in the balance, they raced back to Konoha with racing minds and anxious hearts.

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Sayuri Sadachi hums happily as she helps herself to a bowl of ramen. She kicks her legs slightly under the table, a habit she had developed for when she was immensely pleased. Sasuke is seated beside her, enjoying his own ramen that he had oddly paired with a set of sliced tomatoes, Shisui is eating his ramen slowly, and Itachi is simply staring at his. It was somewhat of a strange sight. And Sayuri wished her older sister was there to see it.

"The ramen is not going to eat you or anything, Itachi-San." Sayuri tells the Uchiha male, watching as his eyes dart towards her. The Sadachi girl smiles brightly then, holding up her chopsticks happily. "Just try it. It's really good, I promise!"

Shisui snickers at this, the only one who can see the faint pink hue on his best friend's cheeks at being called out by a six-year-old. However, much to both his and Sasuke's shock, after a small pause, Itachi picks up his chopsticks and begins to eat.

' _Looks like we've got another Sasuke on our hands_.' Shisui notes wearily, shaking his head as he glances at Sayuri's pleased smile when Itachi begins to eat the ramen, ' _They've both got him wrapped around their little six-year-old fingers_.'

The group falls silent once more, each in their own world as they enjoy their meal. Which is why Sasuke scrunches his face in confusion when Sayuri ducks her head suddenly. Shisui raises a brow as well before following the Sadachi girl's line of sight and smirking. Saburo Sadachi could be seen at the restaurant's entrance, seemingly searching for something, or rather, _someone_. The Sadachi male searches around quickly, and despite her efforts at hiding, his eyes narrow when they land on Sayuri.

' _Looks like someone's in trouble_.' Shisui watches as the Sadachi male approaches their table with measured steps, eyes focused on Sayuri. ' _Let's see how you get your way out of this one, tiny Sadachi_.'

Sayuri's head is still ducked, even when Saburo is standing right beside their table, prepared to open his mouth to scold her. But surprisingly, before he can, a rather calm voice speaks up.

"Saburo-San-" Itachi starts, looking over at the Sadachi male, "Would you like to join us for ramen?"

Shisui nearly falls over from shock. Even Sasuke is staring at his older brother strangely and Sayuri is watching the interaction with wide eyes. Saburo appears caught off guard by the invitation, struggling to come up a response.

"Ah, that is very generous of you, Uchiha-San b-but-" The Sadachi male stutters, rubbing at the back of his neck in discomfort. He seemed to be having a difficult time coming up with an excuse to politely decline the offer. However, another look from Itachi has him quickly giving in, "I mean, I guess it couldn't hurt."

And then, for reasons beyond even Saburo himself, he seats himself in a chair at the end of the table. Shisui motions for another bowl of ramen, Itachi continues to eat in peace, Sasuke stares in confusion, and Sayuri beams happily. Saburo blinks in confusion when a fresh bowl of ramen is placed before him, confused at his own actions. What just happened? He wasn't too sure, but for some reason he felt compelled to simply eat with them and not cause too much of a fuss. So, that's what he does, picking up his chopsticks and helping himself to a mouth full of ramen, all the while wondering how he managed to be convinced so easily by Itachi Uchiha of all people.

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Suzumi blinks blearily. Her vision was distorted, but she could faintly make out dark eyes boring into her face. The pain in her back was distant but excruciating in nature. Someone was holding her as her head lolled each time they moved. The heat radiating from them was welcome to the Sadachi girl, who felt cold beyond measures.

' _W-Why am I so cold_?' She wonders faintly, eyes struggling to remain open. ' _Am I… Dying_?'

She felt as if she was, as the darkness being presented to her appeared so welcoming. And the more her eyes slipped closed, the more she felt as if there would be no coming back from it.

"Suzumi-Chan!" A voice calls suddenly, and It was so very close, yet so very far away to the dark haired kunoichi. "You have to fight the darkness! You have to fight it! Don't give in!"

Suzumi could feel their hold on her tighten, but the steady pull into the darkness was too strong.

' _I'm sorry… Please forgive me_.'

And with that, the kunoichi's eyes slip closed, and she loses herself to the darkness.

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Meanwhile, Saburo Sadachi steps out into the evening sunset of Konoha, with a full stomach and content aura. He had just eaten a meal with three Uchiha and Sadao Sadachi's youngest, Sayuri. Now, after bidding goodbye to the Uchiha, he simply stands in front of the ramen shop. His mind just couldn't seem to process what just happened or why he felt so _fine_ with it all.

"How are you feeling, Saburo-Nii?" Sayuri asks with a sweet smile. Saburo was pretty close to both Sadao and Suzumi, as well as Sayuri. Suzumi and Sayuri no longer looked at him as a simple clansman, but rather, that of a brother. Saburo was strict about following Sadachi traditions, but kind for a Sadachi male nonetheless. He had managed to earn Sadao's trust to deal with his daughters personally, which that in itself spoke volumes about the boy.

"I-… I feel _good_ , oddly enough." Saburo answers finally, confusion still evident on his face as he begins to maneuver through Konoha's evening crowd.

"Well, that's great!" Sayuri exclaims brightly as she hurries to catch up with him, causing the elder to glance over at her.

"Huh? Yeah, I guess so." Saburo murmurs, lips quirking in the faintest hint of a smile. He was still confused by the turn of events, but didn't question it further as they made their way back to the Sadachi compound. Sayuri skips giddily beside him. She was extremely happy as not only did she get to spend the day with Sasuke, but Saburo's intentions to scold her had been long forgotten, even when they had reached the Sadachi compound.

And strangely enough, she owed it all to Itachi Uchiha.

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"Really Itachi? Casting a genjutsu on poor Saburo like that." Shisui says to his best friend as they walk back to the Uchiha compound. Sasuke is walking ahead of them, pouting at having had to part ways with Sayuri. And of course, Itachi continues to walk as if he hadn't heard Shisui's words. But Shisui merely smirks at his actions. If there was one person who could read Itachi well, it was him. Itachi was a person of subtle action, and so far, everything he had done was adding up in Shisui's mind.

It made Shisui's smirk increase. He tucks his hands into his pockets, watching as the setting sun paints both Itachi and Sasuke in pink and orange hues as the dark gates of the Uchiha compound come into view.

' _Hurry back_ ' Shisui thought rather impatiently, smirk still intact as his mind wanders to a certain dark-haired girl who had unintentionally wormed her way into their lives, ' _I have so much to tell you, little Sadachi_.'

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Two days later, Shisui is standing in the Hokage's office, reporting the results of his most recent mission. His Anbu mask is held loosely in his hand as he informs their leader of how he subdued the enemy. The Third is listening intently, pipe held in his hand when suddenly the office doors come crashing open. Shisui recognizes one of the guards from the gates who enters first, followed by a haggard looking Shichiro Nara, and two of Suzumi's teammates, the Uchiha boy and the timid Yamanaka as well. However, he frowns when he notices that Suzumi is nowhere to be found.

' _Where are you, little Sadachi_?'

"I apologize for the interruption Hokage-Sama, but we have an emergency." The guard blurts out, making the Third raise a brow in response before Shichiro quickly explains.

"Our mission turned out to be a ruse. Four days into our travels, Toru, the heiress, and her guards attacked us. It was clear what their intentions were: to kidnap my student, Suzumi Sadachi. Apparently, this has been their plan all along, to capture a Sadachi. It seems they were working under direct orders from Yamigakure as well. This was not just an attack on my team, but Konoha as well." Shichiro elaborates quietly, hands shaking ever so slightly from the cigarette he so desperately needed.

"I see." The Third says simply, sighing quietly. He had been suspicious of Yamigakure's sudden yearning for an alliance, but never quite expected this. "And the Sadachi? Where is she now?"

"She has been returned to her compound in a grave state, Hokage-Sama." The guard speaks up, making Shichiro wince as he rubs at the back of his neck.

"Ah yes, I'm afraid Suzumi has been severely injured, Hokage-Sama." Shichiro informs the Third. Shisui takes in the bowed heads of Isamu and Daisuke, the tired face of Shichiro, and wonders if they blamed themselves.

"The Sadachi have a unique way of healing their clansmen. Spirit healing is beyond that of regular medical attention. It's better for them. She's in good hands now." The Third informs them in efforts to quell their anxiousness regarding the state of their teammate. He then instructs, "Akimitsu, return to your position at the gates, Isamu and Daisuke, have your wounds seen to at the hospital, Shisui, you are dismissed, and Shichiro, stay behind, I wish to learn more of the details from the ambush."

Shisui watches as Akimitsu nods quickly before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Daisuke and Isamu nod, albeit dejectedly at the Third's orders. He follows the two boys out of the office, silence heavy among them as they leave. They stop just outside the doors that close behind them. And Shisui is prepared to leave, because he doesn't want to disturb the two grief stricken teammates.

"She nearly died twice on the way back." A stoic says suddenly and Shisui looks over to find Daisuke looking ahead with a distant look, "She was so cold, her skin, it was _freezing_. And her heart kept stopping … She doesn't deserve to die for what those bastards did to her."

It was strange to see the younger Uchiha without his usual exuberance. He looked drained, Shisui noted. And that's when he remembered just how young and inexperienced they are. Seeing their teammate so gravely injured on their first official mission had probably devastated them greatly. Shisui felt bad. But he found himself unable to comfort them properly, as his own mind was riddled with worry for Suzumi as well.

"She isn't going to die." Isamu states suddenly, eyes riddled with a passion Shisui has never seen form the Yamanaka boy before. And then, before Shisui can even blink, the Yamanaka boy storms off. Daisuke doesn't chase after his blond teammate, instead his eyes grow downcast.

"Suzumi-Chan saved us." He murmurs, but Shisui hears nonetheless. The younger Uchiha pauses, before continuing barely above a whisper, "But I don't think we were able to return the favor."

Shisui wanted the genin to see the danger in being a shinobi. Seeing a comrade die was tragic, but that was just another unfortunate consequence of being a ninja. They were young, just beginning, and it was reality. Still, it was tragic nonetheless. And he'd be lying if he tried to deny the sudden anxiousness stirring within him at the thought of Suzumi's possible passing. In such a short amount of time, he had grown somewhat attached to the young Sadachi girl.

"Hey-" He calls to Daisuke suddenly. The younger male raises his head slowly, staring up at him with glossy eyes. Shisui forces the worry from his own expression, giving the younger a hard look. "Quit with the waterworks. Suzumi is a strong kunoichi. Have some faith in your teammate, kid. Don't count her out so quickly."

Daisuke sniffs pathetically before forcing a smile, something that makes Shisui cringe but smile as well.

"Y-You're right. Suzumi-Chan is strong. She'll pull through." The younger Uchiha states confidently, before adding so quietly that Shisui almost misses it, "I know she will."

Shisui watches Daisuke's smile waver slightly before the younger turns and heads in the direction Isamu had disappeared in. Once the younger is gone, Shisui's expression turns into that of worry once more.

' _Hang in there, little Sadachi. It's not your time yet_.'

And with that, the Konoha nin disappears in a mere flicker.

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Saburo Sadachi watches as various Sadachi healers surround an unconscious Suzumi. Their spirits, olive green and wispy in nature, hover above the dark-haired girl. Saburo takes in the way the healers channel their healing chakra through the mouths of their spirits onto the deep laceration marring the Sadachi girl's back. Suzumi had been in critical condition upon arriving; she had lost a lot of blood and her chakra had been nearly depleted. Sadao had been enraged when his daughter had been delivered to the compound in such a state by a Sadachi clan member who had been on duty at the gates.

Even now, he stood of in the darkest corner of the room, the only indication of his presence being the glowing red marks curled around his mouth. His spirit was stirring steadily due to his distress at the sight of a nearly dead Suzumi. Saburo found that despite his harsh nature, Sadao still cared very deeply for his children and fellow clansmen. But it took situations like this to see that side of the older male. And Saburo hated that it had to be that way – that it took Suzumi's near death experience for him to show that he cared.

Saburo himself was immensely worried for Suzumi. They had grown up together and were the same age. Still, he felt as if he needed to look after her as an older brother would. Saburo's parents had passed away during the nine-tail's attack on the village. But before he even had the chance to feel alone, Sadao had taken him under his wing and Saburo found a new family with Suzumi and Sayuri. Now, Saburo trusted Sadao's opinion more than his own and he would do the older man's bidding without question. He felt that he at least owed him that.

"Saburo" A gruff voice speaks up, causing the long haired Sadachi male to look over. Sadao's eyes are focused on the healers as they do their work, but his words are directed at the younger as he adds, "Find out who's responsible for this."

And so, Saburo goes to do just that. But not without sparing one last glance at Suzumi. But he quickly turns his head away when he catches sight of the ugly wound marring her back. The Sadachi male clenches his fist as he makes his way out of the healer's home. He would get to the bottom of this.

With it being late in the evening, the rest of the clan is at one of the temples for evening meditations. The compounds pathways are empty as he walks them. And before he knows it, he's standing before the compound's infamous stone. He does the hand signs that will release him from the compound. He only blinks once before the olive buildings surrounding him disappear and are replaced by forestry.

What he's not expecting, is to see the male standing on the other side of the genjutsu. Saburo hadn't really given much thought to two days ago, when he had felt compelled to eat with the Uchiha. But the next day he realized that he felt normal again, and that most likely, he had been placed under a genjutsu. After all, what Sadachi would sit down and have an actual meal with an Uchiha? Then he remembers that that's exactly what Suzumi had done not too long ago. And the mere thought of it makes him grit his teeth.

"What do you want, Uchiha?" He doesn't mean to sound so harsh, but Saburo felt uncomfortable around the other boy and wished to end their interaction as swiftly as possible.

Itachi doesn't offer a verbal reply. Instead, he holds out an olive-green hair pin that belonged to Sayuri. When Saburo realizes this, he clenches his jaw but takes it nonetheless. The two stare at each other then. Itachi does so calmly, while Saburo practically glares. The Uchiha truly unnerved him. Still, Itachi continues to stare, and Saburo remains uneasy until he finally blurts out nervously-

"Are you concerned for Suzumi?" Again, Itachi doesn't reply. But Saburo continues nonetheless. "She's… not doing well, but she will live. The Sadachi have some of the best healers."

He's met with silence once more, making Saburo think the Uchiha wanted something else. But to his surprise, Itachi turns and jumps onto the nearest branch. However, before he can leave, Saburo quickly calls out.

"An Uchiha has no purpose with a Sadachi." Saburo knows the other male has heard him by the way Itachi hesitate for a mere second before leaving, disappearing among the trees. Saburo watches him go with a sinking feeling.

' _What do you want with her_?' He wonders. And he had a feeling he'd be finding out sooner rather than later. And he could only hope that it wouldn't be the disaster that he felt it would be. Sadachi were sacred people, and Suzumi was no different. What would an Uchiha do with something so sacred? No, Saburo could only see a tragic ending for such an entangling. But he swore then and there that he'd stop it before it even got that far. He'd put an end to what was happening, before it could even begin.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

I gave Saburo a little story time and background. His character is heavily based off of Neji, and he might be important to the story. Thanks for reading!


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